Libby air quality in Stage 1 advisory

Erik Leigh of the Lincoln County Environmental Health Department issued a Stage 1 air advisory on Thursday morning for the Libby area that will continue at least through the night.

The advisory is not a full-scale air quality alert but a request for residents to voluntarily refrain from using wood stoves, if possible.

“Stage 1 means that we are asking for voluntary use of an alternate heat source if you have one available,” Leigh said through e-mail. “Please don't burn your wood stove if you have another means of heat.”

Leigh said that particulate concentrations improved Thursday afternoon but the 24-hour average remained high and unhealthy for sensitive groups.

"I'm concerned that our levels will rise through the night, nocturnal air flows could drop in more particulates and the levels may not drop off tomorrow due to the forecasted poor ventilation," Leigh said Thursday afternoon.

For those without an alternate source of heat, Leigh said the public may contact him to register for the use of an Eden Pure electric heater. Ten heaters are available but residents must register. The loaner heaters are then made available to those residents during a stage 2 advisory and throughout a stage 3 alert if it becomes necessary.

A meterologist with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s Air Resource Management Bureau said Thursday afternoon that stagnation watch would be maintained at least until Friday for western Montana.

For more information, call the Air Quality Hotline at 293-5644.