Smoke from the massive wildfires on the West Coast is visible here in Connecticut this morning.
You cannot smell the smoke here, but it is causing an orange glow. In New London, the sunrise had a particularly eerie look as a warm orange sun rose into a smoke-darkened sky.
Because of the fires on the West Coast, people in Oregon, Washington state and parts of California were struggling under acrid yellowish-green smog -- the worst, most unhealthy air on the planet according to some measurements. It seeped into homes and businesses, sneaked into cars through air conditioning vents and caused the closure of iconic locations such as Powell's Books and the Oregon Zoo in Portland, the state's biggest city.
Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality extended an air quality alert to Thursday after it was to initially expire on Monday. The air was so thick that on Monday Alaska Airlines announced it was suspending service to Portland and Spokane, Washington, until Tuesday afternoon. Hazy, smoky skies fouled Washington state and experts said some parts of California might not see relief until next month.
Some areas of central California blanketed by smoke are not likely to see relief until October, said Dan Borsum, the incident meteorologist for a fire in Northern California.
The smoke is high in the atmosphere, so it will not cause breathing issues here in Connecticut, according to NBC Connecticut First Alert meteorologist Bob Maxon.
