Smoke in the air

[MinnesotaEric]

I've got to admit that I'm getting tired of an entire summer of smoke in the air. I like to take my pontoon out at night, stick the sea legs into a sandbar, lean a seat back and star gaze. Maybe bring a camera and time-lapse—but not this summer. I like to wake up and smell the fresh air, the smell of conifers—but not this summer. I smell smoke. I like to take my RZR to look at vistas from high places, but the surrounding forest looks like a manufacturing city with a haze that covers everything from thousands of feet up all the way down. Even the sunsets are mysterious with red sunsets long before the sun creeps down over the horizon.

Earlier today for the second time this summer, I could not see across my lake because of the smoke from Canadian wildfires.

This afternoon I plan to pop into my garage and weld up a broken hydraulic ram yoke and I don't know what is worse: keeping the garage doors closed so as to not let the Canadian forest fire smoke in, or throwing the doors open so as to not breath welding fumes.

A cloudless, sunny afternoon at my place right now.

 

[Rebeldad1]

welcome to the rest of us...

We live in a valley surrounded by mountains. The mountains separate us from eastern Washington. Lots of major forrest fires going on and when the wind blows our way the smoke comes in and hangs in the valley.

Also there has been a LOT of forest clearing around here to harvest logs. There are more slash piles from this than I can ever remember. Come fall they are all going to be lit up and smoke for days.... even weeks. It all fills the valley.

 

[MHarryE]

I looked out this morning and first thought thick fog, then realized the smoke is terrible. I see on the news we are getting 13 additional firefighters from Connecticut to fight our fires. The Canadian fires are now less than a mile from the BWCA. I am only about 15 miles from the south edge of the BWCA so the smoke here has been intense at times.

 

[Thomas]

Monday & Tuesday between smoke and smell from the fires got one attention.

 

[East30]

Twin Cities as well the last few days.

 

[oosik]

Been very lucky - so far this summer. Only light smoke one day. Thank God. It's 98F outside, right now. If we had smoke on top of the temps - really miserable.

So far the evenings/nights have been clear/cool and I can use my big fans to cool the house.

 

[RustyA]

Worst particulate quality air ever measured in Minnesota today...413 microns per cubic foot in St cloud. Previous record at Red lake last week at 319.

 

[ruffdog]

Eric...I thought the storm we had last night might clear up the air for us....no....today looks just like your picture. Yes, I would like clear air too, but it could be worse. Some of those people in the fire's path lost everything. Sad

 

[grsthegreat]

We had a fire burn 80 acres 1 mile from my house last week. I was at a horse show and blasted back home.
the hotshot crew fighting this fire was from Tennessee.... they did a great job. Stop fire on windy day in forrest. had help from a 737 water bomber, 2 chinook helicopters, 3 water scoop planes and 2 smaller copters.

this fire was burning towards my house....so very scared. Im truly sick of breathing smoke, but then i think of these brave soles out fighting fires in other peoples states, and i stop complaining.

 

[Torvy]

Smoky in Sioux Falls today, too. I lived here years ago and never remember smelling and seeing smoke from such distant fire.
So now my eyes have a mist from the smoke of a distant fire. Queue the music...