Air quality index reached the “unhealthy” level on Thursday morning in Norwich and Chenango County. (Photo by Lilli Iannella)

CHENANGO COUNTY– As of Thursday morning in Chenango County, the air quality index was “unhealthy,” a level above Wednesday’s advisory of “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” as reported by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).

Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew Beckwith said this report means everyone should limit outdoor activities to avoid breathing in particulates.

“I know state fire has limited outdoor trainings,” he said. “So I would say the same thing— to limit outdoor activities as much as you can.”

A forecast for tomorrow has not been released yet, Beckwith said, but on Wednesday in a webinar, the National Weather Service predicted conditions to improve by Friday. They are “expecting smoke to move out more slowly than move in,” Beckwith said.

Beckwith said he expects the NYSDEC to release an updated advisory at some point on Thursday.

Given the course of the atmosphere, jet stream and large amount of smoke from fires in Canada, Beckwith said the smoke has been pushed toward ground level to create a smell and smoky haze.

To reduce exposure to the smoke, Beckwith further encouraged those with breathing difficulties to consider wearing a mask, shutting windows and using air conditioning units and air purifiers.

While Beckwith said he and his team are not forecasters, he advised county community members to check AirNow.gov, a site run by government agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to keep track of air quality conditions and preventative measures listed in correspondence to the levels.