Smoke From Controlled Grass Fires In Kansas and Oklahoma Impacting Air Quality in Nebraska

LINCOLN–(KFOR Apr. 7)–Smoke and haze were hanging over much of the Lincoln area Friday morning, due to a controlled grass fire burning in the Flint Hills region in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Southerly winds have blown that smoke into portions of eastern Nebraska and National Weather Service officials suggest using caution, if you have any respiratory or heart issues.

“Overnight, we kind of had a temperature inversion and that will trap smoke lower in the atmosphere,” according to Paul Fajman, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Valley.  “As the day progresses and the wind picks up a little bit, we’ll get a little bit more mixing which will help lift that smoke up away from the surface.”

Fajman says early mornings will be probably the harder times for people with breathing conditions.

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department on Friday morning that the air quality index was at 154, which is unhealthy.  As of 12pm Friday, the index dropped to 70 or the moderate range.