Department of Environmental Quality

Fire & Smoke Management

Air Monitoring Particulate Data
Air Quality Conditions Web Cam
Health Effect Categories
Breakpoint & Associated Visibility
Visibility Ranges
State & Federal AQ Standards
Open Burning Information
Prescribed Burning
Other Interesting Fire Links

Forest Fire Smoke Report
From State Medical Officer Steven D. Helgerson, MD, MPH Pertinent information on acute and long-term effects from smoke exposure.

Montana Dept. of Public Health & Human Services News Release on the health impacts of wildfire smoke.

Wildfire Smoke - A Guide for Public Health Officials

Previous Updates: 2006 | 2005

Open Burning Rules: 77- 5-103(3); 76-13-102(7); 76-13-109
These rules (MCA) apply to all activities on all classified forest land within Montana during the legal fire season, included any extension there of.

Air Resources Management Bureau
Permitting & Compliance Division

Smoke Management in Montana

Health Effect Categories

Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM-2.5 24-Hour ¹
Health Effect Categories	Health Effects	Cautionary Statements
Good	None	None
Moderate	Possibility of aggravation of heart or lung disease among persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly.	None
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms in sensitive individuals, aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly.	People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should limit prolonged exertion.
Unhealthy	Increased aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; increased respiratory effects in the general population.	People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid prolonged exertion; everyone else should limit prolonged exertion.
Very Unhealthy	Significant aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; significant risk of respiratory effects in the general population.	People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid any outdoor activity; everyone else should avoid prolonged exertion.
Hazardous	Serious aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; serious risk of respiratory effects in the general population.	Everyone should avoid any outdoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should remain indoors.

¹ Guideline For Reporting Of Daily Air Quality – Air Quality Index (AQI), EPA-454/R-99-010, July 1999, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711.