SIDNEY - Smoke from Canadian wildfires impacted the air quality in western Nebraska and southeast Wyoming Tuesday, according to the Nebraska and Wyoming Department of Health and Human Services, and Nebraska and Wyoming Department of Environment and Energy.

A smoke advisory is in effect until 1 p.m. Wednesday for all of western Nebraska, including the entire Nebraska Panhandle, and Goshen County in southeast Wyoming. 

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says some members of the general public may experience health effects and members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children. Residents in the advisory area are advised to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and those in sensitive groups should consider moving activities indoors or rescheduling.

States monitor smoke levels and weather conditions to determine when impacts to air quality are anticipated. Advisories are based on data from the National Weather Service (NWS), smoke plume modeling, and from ambient air quality monitors located in Omaha, Bellevue, Blair, Lincoln, Beatrice, Grand Island, and Scottsbluff.