With smoke from wildfires drifting into the area, an air quality alert has been issued for Flathead County.

The air quality in the Flathead Valley is considered “very unhealthy.” This means that those with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid any outdoor activity. Everyone else should avoid prolonged exertion outside.

Air quality impacts are likely to continue for much of the week in western Montana as the area remains under a ridge of high pressure, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The air quality is not expected to improve through at least mid-week, if not longer.

Winds may cause some of the dense smoke from fires in Washington to shift away from Montana. However, smoke from fires in Idaho and western Montana will continue to have impacts.

Smoke settles into the valleys each night, likely causing impacts to increase in severity in the late afternoon across western Montana.