DAYTON — If you have stepped outside today, there is no doubt a burning smell in the air and you can see the smoke coming from Canadian wildfires.
Wildfire smoke can be seen on visible satellites and is clearly visible to the human eye.
An Air Quality Alert is in effect Wednesday for Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Preble Counties. Counties in eastern Indiana are also under an Air Quality Alert until Wednesday night.
According to the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency or RAPCA, the Air Quality Index is unhealthy at 163. That number is updated throughout the day. Storm Center 7 Meteorologist Britley Ritz said the air quality index could be at 150 through Tuesday and likely into Wednesday.
While most of the region is currently mostly cloudy, we are still experiencing smoke through the clouds thanks to the northwest wind at 10 to 15 mph. The wind is mixing down to the surface, which is why you can smell the wildfire smoke in the Miami Valley.
While the wildfire smoke will lighten up, smoke will sit with us in the Miami Valley through the rest of the week.