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Smoke from the Canadian wildfires obscures the St. Louis skyline as Keith Major runs sprints on the track at St. Louis University on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Major, a police officer in the city of St. Louis, is training for the World Police and Fire Games that is being held in Winnipeg, He said he was concerned about the air quality and compared training in the smoky air to training at high altitudes.
David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via APEDWARDSVILLE — The smoke cleared a bit Thursday, and air quality levels in Edwardsville were measured as "Good" and "Moderate" by late morning.
Still, an air quality alert for the area remained in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) and the St. Louis Clean Air Partnership.
The air quality forecast was for "Orange" or "Unhealthy for Some" Thursday, meaning that maximum ozone and fine particulates concentrations are expected to reach levels that pose a health risk, the NWS reported..
Ground-level ozone and fine particulates is an air contaminant which can cause breathing difficulties for children, older adults, as well as people with respiratory problems.
Smoke drifting south from widespread wildfires in Canada have appeared in the Edwardsville area as a haze since Tuesday. Resident are advised to stay indoors if possible or wear a mask when outdoors, especially if they have asthma or any other breathing condition.
