Controlled burns causing smoky conditions across eastern Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – It’s that time of year again when prescribed burns and south winds are causing smoky skies here in Nebraska.

And for some, these conditions can be dangerous.

“You’re breathing in particles that the body doesn’t want to have in it,” said Brian Daake, the fire chief of Beatrice Fire Department. “It’s going to cause – for short-term exposures – respiratory distress, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing.”

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services issued a smoke advisory for eastern Nebraska on Friday.

The haze that can be seen in the air is smoke from annual controlled burns in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Upward of 2 million acres are burned in the Flint Hills, and southern winds carry the smoke up to Nebraska.

But those fires are doing good things for the land.

“Basically, they do that for land management purposes,” Daake said. “It helps clear out dead foliage, it rejuvenates the land, makes wildlife habitats better, and it reduces the opportunities for wildfires later on in the year.”

Daake said Nebraska does similar prescribed burns every year as well.

In fact, at Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, firefighters burn areas of the ground in the fall.

While it’s great for the ground, it can be damaging to those who are sensitive to particle pollution.

That includes people with heart or lung diseases like COPD or asthma, older adults, children and teens, and people who are active outdoors.

The smoke advisory will last until Monday, but Daake said the smoky conditions could stick around for about a week.

And your animals might be sensitive to the particles as well.

Before going outside, you can check the air quality where you live by looking at the real-time smoke levels in your area.

Although they may seem obvious, Daake said these tips should help:

“If you’ve got a respiratory problem, it’s best to shut up the house, stay inside, turn on the A/C or heat depending on what time of day it is right now,” he said. “And I recommend not going outside to exercise when it’s smoky like this.”