A northwest wind shift pushed the smoke out of Rapid City shortly after conditions reached advisory levels. People in the Rapid City and Black Hills areas need to be aware that shifts in the wind may cause unpredictable smoke and visibility conditions until the fires are contained and put out. Therefore, DENR urges citizens in the area to be aware of the health effects associated with the smoke and reduced visibility conditions. The smoke is a problem for folks with asthma, emphysema, bronchitis and other upper respiratory illnesses and also those with respiratory allergies such as hay fever. DENR has several air quality monitors located throughout Rapid City, but the visibility table below can be used by individuals elsewhere in the Black Hills to determine visibility levels and the associated health effect and cautionary statement.
Visible range is that point at which even high contrast objects totally disappear.
After determining the visibility in miles, go to the chart above to determine the health effect and cautionary statement with the appropriate visibility range. Increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms and aggravation of lung disease, such as asthma. People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should limit prolonged exertion. The conditions are updated several times throughout the day. After the owners of the tanks signed up, the state grouped the tank sites by location, and asked private excavation contractors to bid to remove the tanks.