Smoke from wildfire no longer producing elevated levels of air pollution | Environment

NORTH CAROLINA - State air quality officials say smoke from a wildfire in eastern North Carolina is no longer generating elevated concentrations of air pollution, thanks to firefighting efforts and heavy rainfall during the weekend.

For the past seven days, monitors had detected elevated concentrations of particle pollution in parts of eastern North Carolina due to smoke from the Dad Fire, which began June 17 in the Croatan National Forest. Smoke from wildfires can create extremely small particles and liquid droplets that can be harmful to breathe and contribute to haze and other air quality problems.

However, rain and firefighting efforts have helped significantly reduce smoke from the fire, and officials with the N.C. Division of Air Quality say that monitors are no longer detecting elevated amounts of particle pollution. 

State air quality officials will not issue additional smoke advisories, unless monitors detect changes in particle pollution near the fire that warrant a health advisory.

For the latest information on the Dad Fire, check out the U.S. Forest Service’s website http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2925/.