Gloucester beach-goers say hazy skies caused by recent wildfires in northern Minnesota and Canada are not deterring them from making their way to the city’s seashore.
Wildfire smoke travelling southeast from northern Minnesota and Canada is currently blanketing much of the Northeast, which is also experiencing high summer heat.
Wednesday morning skies had an orange-hazy tint to them caused by smoke moving into a higher level in the atmosphere and while much of the orange-tint had faded by afternoon, the sky above Good Harbor Beach remained gray and overcast.
But beach-goers largely remained unbothered, with many saying their beach day was not heavily impacted.
“Any day at the beach is a good day,” said Joan Wilson of Framingham.
Boston residents Darlene Gill and Linda Kelley both said they’ve noticed the overcast skies but their health, and beach day, remained unaffected.
“It’s been overcast since yesterday, it’s been like nighttime all day,” Gill said.
Several hundred visitors still made their way Wednesday afternoon to Good Harbor Beach while a state-wide air quality alert had been issued Wednesday by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. The alert is in place through Thursday at 11:59 p.m..
“It didn’t affect my decision (to come to the beach) at all,” Peter Woodhouse said.
“Around 10 a.m. it got really dark and you could smell a little smoke,” he said. “(The sky) yesterday and today has a weird color.”
Caitlyn Mensch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norton said the worst of the haze likely appeared Wednesday but another plume of smoke is expected to move into the region Thursday as the first wave continues pushing south.
Mensch said forecasters have a rough confidence in Thursday’s weather but because forecast models rely heavily on current observations and the state of the wildfires, predicting the weather past a day or two can be difficult.
She said relief could come as soon as Friday as the clouds of smoke head downstate.
This weekend’s predicted rain showers with a chance of a thunderstorm could also help clear the air, Mensch said.
As far as the threat to air quality goes, Mensch said, people should heed the health warnings.
“Yesterday, we saw smoke moving into a higher level of the atmosphere. That’s when you start seeing the orange tint in the sky,” she said Wednesday. “Today, the difference is we have a concentration of smoke reaching the surface. That’s when you start seeing the air quality decrease.”
While wildfires can take place thousands of miles away, the smoke from them can cause poor air quality in distant states like Massachusetts, making allergies worse and leading to respiratory infections, according to the Massachusetts Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention.
The state agency advised moving outdoor activities inside and having medical masks available for prolonged exposure.
Due to elevated levels of fine particles, air quality statewide is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, such as asthma, older adults, children, teenagers and people active outdoors, the DEP’s alert warned. People with either lung disease or heart disease are at greater risk from exposure to air pollution, officials said.
MassDEP advises people in sensitive groups to:
— Reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
— Take more breaks, and do less intense activities.
— Follow asthma action plans.
— Keep quick relief medicine handy.
— Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.
Staff Writers Angelina Berube and Jonah Frangiosa contributed to this story.
Staff Writer Bobby Grady may be contacted at 978-675-2714 or bgrady@gloucestertimes.com.