ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. – A smoky haze, settling in for days during the Matt’s Creek wildfire. It’s a scene you might see over in California, but it’s not something you see in Southwest Virginia often.
Margaret Key was the air resource advisor on the fire, monitoring air quality daily to keep us safe.
“With comorbidities like heart or lung disease, actually wildfire smoke can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks,” Key said. “It can be lethal.”
She advised local schools on air conditions, including Lexington City, which made the decision to close school for a few days.
“Not something they taught us in our admin prep program, how to make school determinations on air quality,” Lexington City Schools Director of Operations and Student Services Jason White said. ”Obviously, we have a lot of experience with snow and ice.”
Key brought air quality monitors with her during the fire and was able to leave some at nearby schools, including Lexington. They cost about $300, but anyone can buy one.
“Even families who know they have say a child with asthma will purchase one of those themselves,” Key said. “They can see for themselves what the air quality is right at their home.”
To see the locations of the monitors and where air quality is all over the country, visit this website.