E-Paper
New Mexico air quality update: Why is Albuquerque today hazy and smoky?
The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County area was under a health alert on Saturday as several locals complained about a blanket of smoke and haze in the sky
The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County area was under a health alert on Saturday as several locals complained about a blanket of smoke and haze in the sky. The alert by the Air Quality Program lasts until 3 PM local time. It has been issued due to smoke and dust in the region. People with respiratory or heart issues were asked to limit outdoor activity until the smoke and dust cleared out.
Air quality status in Albuquerque
The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Program issued a health alert on Saturday due to elevated smoke levels. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is in the Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range, with PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) concentrations at 1.1–1.5 times the World Health Organization’s annual guideline, per IQAir and local reports.
Visibility has been reduced to 6–10 miles in some areas, with haze obscuring the Sandia Mountains, particularly in the morning.
Sensitive groups, including children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with respiratory conditions or heart disease, are advised to limit outdoor activities. Symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath may occur, and those with a COVID-19 history face heightened risks.
Why is Albuquerque today hazy and smoky
Several meteorologists on X suggested that southerly winds are pushing smoke from wildfires in northern Mexico into the Rio Grande Valley, including Albuquerque. These fires, likely seasonal or prescribed burns, are contributing to elevated PM2.5, PM10, and carbon monoxide levels.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) noted on Friday that smoke and aerosols from burning activities in northern Mexico are being transported northward, affecting regions like El Paso and potentially Albuquerque.
Earlier this week, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham urged counties to ban fireworks, ordering a task force to come up with short-term emergency measures amid drought and mounting wildfire risks. She had declared a state of emergency last Thursday.
“Despite some spring precipitation, almost all of New Mexico remains in conditions that threaten water supplies and elevate fire danger,” Lujan Grisham said in a news release.
“The State Forester has enacted fire restrictions for high-risk areas, but we can’t stop there. This executive order ensures that we act decisively to conserve water and lessen our exposure to wildfire risk.”
