Air Quality a Concern in Cody

Air quality in the Cody area is declining rapidly.

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality says residents in Park County near Cody have been experiencing smoke pollution from the Fishhawk Fire in the Shoshone National Forest, as well as the Stink Water Fire northeast of the Fishhawk.

To Park County Public Health office says that a normal air quality level, according to the scale used by health officials, is 50. Yesterday the levels reached as high as 142 – just shy of the level at which the air is unsafe for anyone, regardless of their health.

School officials say that students in Cody were not allowed outside for recess yesterday due to poor air quality.

Nursing Supervisor Bill Crampton says the heavy smoke from the Fishhawk fire is cause for concern for at-risk residents whose health could be compromised by too much exposure to the polluted air. Crampton says people with health concerns should limit outdoor activities, and use air conditioning rather than whole-house fans.

Members of the public have access to the Cody monitor on the DEQ’s website, where everyone can access near real-time air quality data for all Wyoming’s monitoring stations, as well as information about possible health effects.

The DEQ’s website can be accessed HERE.