AREAS AFFECTED : DAWES
The following is transmitted in collaboration with the Nebraska
Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska
Department of Environment and Energy...
WHAT...Air Quality Alert
WHERE...Dawes County (South Fork Fire region) Nebraska
WHEN... 06/14/2026 12:00 AM until 06/15/2026 12:00 PM
POLLUTANT...PM 2.5 particulates
AIR QUALITY INDEX...Moderate to Unhealthy
ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
An alert for possible Moderate (Air Quality Index yellow category)
to Unhealthy AQI (Air Quality Index red category) due to smoke has
been issued for the following Nebraska counties: Dawes, from June
14, 12:00 am through June 15, 12:00 pm.
During Moderate (AQI yellow category) conditions, those who are
unusually sensitive to particle pollution may experience health
effects, and are advised to minimize prolonged or heavy exertion.
Symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath are signs to take
it easier.
During Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange category)
conditions, members of sensitive groups may experience health
effects. Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung
disease, older adults, children/teens, pregnant women, and those
who are active outdoors. Members of sensitive groups are advised
to minimize prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors and take more
breaks.
During Unhealthy AQI (red category) conditions, some members of
the general public may experience health effects and members of
sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older
adults, children/teens, pregnant women, and those who are active
outdoors. Those in sensitive groups are advised to avoid prolonged
or heavy exertion and consider moving activities indoors. Everyone
else is advised to minimize prolonged or heavy exertion and take
more breaks during outdoor activities.Smoke from prescribed
burning may affect the air quality in Nebraska. Smoke levels and
wind directions are monitored by Nebraska and other states to
predict when impacts to the air quality may occur.
Smoke from the South Fork Fire near Crawford Nebraska may affect
the air quality in Nebraska. Smoke levels and wind directions are
monitored by Nebraska and other states to predict when impacts to
the air quality may occur.
Information regarding wildfire impacts is available from the
Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) at
https://dee.nebraska.gov/smoke-and-air-quality. Updates on the
South Fork fire, including evacuation orders, are posted at
https://www.facebook.com/SouthForkFireINFO.
Alerts are based on data available from weather forecasts, smoke
plume modeling, satellite imagery, and from air quality monitors
located in Omaha, Bellevue, Blair, Lincoln, Beatrice, Grand
Island, and Scottsbluff.
Advisories for smoke and air quality are issued for affected areas
by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and
Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) and posted on
agency webpages and social media sites. By notifying the media
and local health departments, alerts help citizens protect their
health by informing them of days where outdoor activities should
be reduced or avoided to minimize exposure to smoke.