Smoke Alert issued from regional Wildfires

Potentially impacted communities include Gallup, Farmington, Navajo Nation, the Pueblo of Zuni and surrounding communities.

From the NM Department of Health

Monday, June 7, 2021

The New Mexico Departments of Health (NMDOH) and Environment have issued a smoke alert due to smoke from the Telegraph and Mescal Fires east of Phoenix, Arizona, and from residual smoke from fires in New Mexico. Impacts will be over portions of northwestern and central New Mexico this week, with smoke expected to be more pronounced overnight. 

Potentially impacted communities include Gallup, Farmington, Navajo Nation, the Pueblo of Zuni and surrounding communities, in addition to Albuquerque and Santa Fe metropolitan areas. Communities in the central Rio Grande Valley south of Albuquerque may also be affected. 

 

Since these impacts are expected to occur overnight, taking precautions such as closing windows at night and turning off swamp coolers protect residents with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease, or lung cancer, heart disease, adults over age 65, young children, and pregnant women if smoke concentrations become unhealthy.

 

Smoke from wildfires may cause people to have more severe reactions if they have COVID-19. The best way to protect against the potentially harmful effects of wildfire smoke is to stay home and create a clean indoor air space.

NMDOH offers indoor air quality tips online at https://nmtracking.org/. Click on the Environment tab and select Air Quality

 

Your eyes are your best tools to determine if it is safe to be outside. Use the 5-3-1 Method. If visibility is:

 

Under 5 miles, the air quality is unhealthy for young children, adults over age 65, pregnant women, and people with heart and/or lung disease, asthma or other respiratory illness. Outdoor activity should be minimized.

 

Around 3 miles, young children, adults over age 65, pregnant women, and people with heart and/or lung disease, asthma or other respiratory illness should avoid all outdoor activities.

 

Around 1 mile, the air quality is unhealthy for everyone. People should remain indoors and avoid all outdoor activities including running errands. Unless an evacuation order has been issued, stay inside your home, indoor workplace, or in a safe shelter.

 

More from Local News

  • Feds Indict Shiprock Father & Son for Illegal Marijuana Farms in NM

    The charges include conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, manufacture of 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, maintaining drug-involved premises, and two counts of knowingly discharging pollutants into waters of the United States without a permit.

  • Passenger Air Service Returns to Farmington

    “We’re excited to bring this new United Express service to the four corners area,” said Cody Thomas, Managing Director of Market Development at SkyWest Airlines.  "Little is more important to a community than quality air service. With just one flight from FMN, passengers can easily connect to hundreds of destinations worldwide on United’s global network through Denver.”

  • Man Killed by Own Vehicle in Farmington

    Initial investigations reveal that the victim was struck by his own vehicle after it began to roll away due to improper parking. The individual was pronounced deceased at the scene.

  • 2024 Election: San Juan County Contested Races

    These are the unofficial election results from voting on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 of the contested races in San Juan County, NM.

  • Local Freight Rail to receive up to $4 Million more for project

    The (Four Corners Freight Rail) project aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing resilience and improving system and service performance, as the project will provide a viable freight transportation modal alternative to highway trucking, opportunities to simplify the supply chain, and enable new, rail-dependent economic development opportunities thereby imparting benefits to the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities.

On KSJE Now:

Today's Weather

  • Farmington, NM

    Sunny intervals

    High: 63°F | Low: 28°F

  • Durango, CO

    Sunny intervals

    High: 61°F | Low: 21°F

  • Shiprock, NM

    Sunny intervals

    High: 63°F | Low: 28°F

  • Cortez, CO

    Sunny intervals

    High: 63°F | Low: 28°F

  • Santa Fe, NM

    Sunny intervals

    High: 61°F | Low: 36°F