Hazardous Wildfire Smoke Wafts Across Texas

Wildfire smoke is affecting air quality across nearly half of Texas, particularly in the Texas Panhandle, causing health concerns and poor visibility. Lubbock experienced unhealthy air levels, which slightly improved but remained concerning for sensitive groups such as the elderly, children, and those with respiratory conditions. The smoke, carrying hazardous particulate matter known as PM2.5, is expected to spread southward across western Texas and into northern Mexico, with a forecasted shift in wind potentially clearing the air in most parts of Texas except the Panhandle. This shift could also result in dense smoke affecting areas in the Oklahoma Panhandle and western Kansas overnight. PM2.5, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, is linked to severe health issues like asthma, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses, contributing to millions of deaths annually worldwide due to air pollution.

Source: CNN