Over the weekend, Missoula and western Montana residents were wondering if they would ever see the sun again, but Monday morning brought clear skies, and new hope,
Today, August 26th, was the first day of school for most Missoula kids and according to Missoula County School District One Communication Director Hatton Littman, the day was pretty normal. Except for all the lion and bear reports.
"We have had reports starting on Monday of this week and continuing into today of bears and mountain lion activity in neighborhoods around some of our schools, but
Missoula air quality deemed unhealthy by the Missoula City County Health Department. Sarah Coefield said it could worsen to Very Unhealthy later today.
Wildfire smoke continues to plague western Montana valleys. Air Quality is at unhealthy levels throughout the area, and worse in the Bitterroot Valley.
One picture paints a thousand words, so below, here is a photo of the wildfire smoke heading into the western Montana.
Sarah Coefield with the Missoula City-County Health Department says it may be time to buckle in.
Fires in Idaho and as far away as Oregon, California and Canada are bringing smoke into the Missoula valley and reducing air quality to near unhealthy levels for sensitive groups.