Particulate pollution stemming from smoke along with soaring ozone levels are imperiling Wasatch Front residents’ lungs, prompting advisories from state officials to limit outdoor activities and avoid contributing to the problem with unnecessary driving and lawn mowing.
“It’s a double whammy,” said Donna Spangler, spokeswoman for the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. “We are feeling the impact of the fire and hot temperatures. Our meteorologists are keeping an eye on the smoke. The wind is a curse on both levels, for fueling the fires and for air quality.”
Driven by hot, dry winds out of the southwest, the Dollar Ridge Fire has charred nearly 50,000 acres in Wasatch and Duchesne counties, about 50 miles east of Provo, since Sunday.