ROANOKE, Va. – Air quality and the impact on your health are front and center with the Matts Creek fire burning thousands of acres.
How smoke travels is closely linked to the time of day.
Watch and read below.
At night, warmer air above the surface keeps smoke locked in at ground level. During the day, warm air rises. Smoke rises with it to a point where the wind blows it around more.
[READ MORE: Several counties in Central, Southwest Virginia under burn ban]
Here's a brief explainer on how the time of day impacts smoke travel/health. pic.twitter.com/oNFUoApbqC
— Chris Michaels (@WSLS_Michaels) November 16, 2023
Smoke continues to drift into parts of Bedford, Rockbridge, Amherst and Nelson Counties through at least Friday. This will produce unhealthy air quality at times, so be sure to keep windows shut, limit time outdoors and have a mask ready.
Stronger wind gusts Saturday will allow the fire to spread farther south and east. That, in tandem with very low humidity, creates the threat of more brush fires.
Camp fires, cigarette butts and hot bullets on the foliage from hunting can ignite new fires.
Be extra careful. Most of us are under a drought. It’s considered ‘severe’ and even ‘extreme’ in parts of the area.
Watch my Instagram reel below for more updates on the Matts Creek fire, how much rain we need to overcome the drought and when we can expect a good soaking.
Download our free weather app here for frequent forecast updates.