Canadian wildfire smoke impacting the sunset on May 30, 2025, (Brian Neben, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — An Air Quality Alert has been issued for parts of central and eastern Nebraska from June 5 through June 6.
The National Weather Service – Hastings noted that the alert runs from June 5 at 6 a.m. to June 6 at 12 p.m. The Air Quality Index will be considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The counties under the alert include Valley, Greeley, Sherman, Howard, Merrick, Polk, Dawson, Buffalo, Hall, Hamilton, York, Gosper, Phelps, Kearney, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Furnas, Harlan, Franklin, Webster, Nuckolls and Thayer.
“Smoke from Canadian wildfires may affect the air quality in Nebraska. Smoke levels and wind directions are monitored by Nebraska and other states to predict when impacts to the air quality may occur,” per NWS Hastings.
“Alerts are based on data available from weather forecasts, smoke plume modeling, satellite imagery, and from air quality monitors located in Omaha, Bellevue, Blair, Lincoln, Beatrice, Grand Island, and Scottsbluff,” NWS Hastings stated.
During Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups AQI (orange category) conditions, members of sensitive groups may experience health effects.
Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, pregnant women, and outdoor workers. When conditions rise to the orange category, sensitive groups are advised to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion and avoid intense outdoor activities.
The ongoing 2025 Canadian wildfire season began with over 160 wildfires active across the country in mid-May 2025 primarily in Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared respective states of emergency on May 28 and May 29.
The 2023 Canadian wildfires were the most destructive in recorded Canadian history and the 2024 wildfire season, while less severe, was one of the worst.