Pacific Northwest Wildfires Sending Dangerous Smoke Into Wyoming Skies

Our fingers are crossed that the nasty, hazy, smoky skies will be clearing up soon around Wyoming, but if you look at a map of fires around the West, it's probably not going to happen anytime soon.

The Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington), as well as parts of Idaho, Montana, and Utah, have a significant number of fires. Where there is fire, there is smoke, and when it gets into the jet stream, it's bad news for the states to the east.

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The smoky air is certainly not a good thing for any of us, but for those who have existing health issues, it could be deadly. So, limiting your exposure is key to not being as affected.

Easier said than done, right? 

Anytime we get into these smoky situations, the first thing you're supposed to do is limit the time you're outside, change your filters, close your windows, and reduce the time your air conditioner or swamp cooler is on. The problem is, how are you not going to turn on your AC or swamp cooler when the temperature is 95+ degrees?

Experts recommend using air cleaners and keeping at least one room in your house as the "clean air room." Doing this will give those who are high-risk at least one room in the house where they can go and not be nearly as affected by the smoke.

If you, like many Wyomingites, are on a tight budget and can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars on an air cleaner, there's still hope.

You can build your own. All you need is a box fan made in 2012 or newer (an older fan could have electrical issues and start a fire), HVAC filters, and a bungee cord or duct tape.