air quality

State environmental regulators are expanding their ability to measure air quality, particularly in rural communities. The latest addition to their network is a permanent monitor in Glasgow.

Schools kept students inside for recess and athletics Monday as a thick blanket of smoke smothered western and central Montana. New research aims to better understand air quality inside schools.

The National Weather Service has issued an air stagnation advisory for much of western Montana until midday Wednesday.

A new study finds that smoke from massive wildfires has eroded about a quarter of the air quality gains from the last few decades.

Montana has received federal funding to expand air quality monitoring stations, particularly in rural areas.

"You can get an effective room air cleaner that you can make yourself for between $35 and $45," says Mechanical Engineer Tom Javins.

Experts say a light blanket of smoke is expected to cover most of Montana throughout the rest of this week. The smoke appears to be coming from the Washburn Fire burning in Yosemite National Park in California.

The report, spanning several years of data, measured ozone and particle pollution, which are the two most common air pollutants.

The rising number of fires hamper decades of environmental efforts, and over 40% of Americans — more than 137 million people — live in places with poor air quality, a new report says.

Last month’s rainfall brought a welcome reprieve to Montana’s active fire season. Experts at the time, however, cautioned it was not a so-called “season-ending” event.