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NWS Issues Air-Quality Alert for Kane County—Due to Huge Minnesota Wild Fire
Smoke likely will persist into the afternoon and evening hours Tuesday.
The National Weather Service for our neck of the woods has issued a Special Weather Statement, warning of air-quality issues here in Kane County due to the "large wild fire over northeast Minnesota."
"ALTHOUGH THE FIRE IS MORE THAN 400 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AREA ...THE COMBINATION OF SINKING AIR AND NORTHERLY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT HAS TRANSPORTED SMOKE ALL THE WAY INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS," the NWS says.
"THE SMOKE WILL LIKELY PERSIST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ... BEFORE WINDS BECOME MORE WESTERLY IN ADVANCE OF ANOTHER COLD FRONT."
The affected area includes all of Northern Illinois, but Kane is mentioned specifically, and the cities of Batavia, Geneva and more have sent an e-mail warning residents of an air-quality alert.
Here's more from the NWS statement:
"SMOKE WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO SPREAD TO THE SOUTHEAST ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA THROUGH THIS EVENING.
"EXPECT HAZY SKIES AND A DISTINCT BURNING ODOR. THE LAKE COUNTY ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS THAT SMOKE IS PREVALENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE PEOPLE TO REPORT DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND BURNING OF THEIR EYES. INDIVIDUALS WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS SHOULD USE CAUTION WHILE SMOKE AFFECTS THE AREA."
Erica
3:07 pm on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
I was wondering what the smell and haze was about. Thanks Patch!
Sara Carlson
7:22 pm on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Was out in Geneva Commons and could not get over the smell ... glad the mystery is solved.
Rudy
10:45 pm on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
I see Mother nature hasn't read Geneva's open burning Ordinance. I assume Geneva's finest are rushing up to Minnesota to set them straight and possibly fine them if they don't comply by extinguishing that fire immediately. I assume the Geneva Fire department is right behind the GPD?
Andrea Cladis
12:31 am on Wednesday, September 14, 2011
I thought people were burning leaves all day or something! It was so weird. This definitely helps explain it! Thanks, RICK!