CHENANGO COUNTY– While air quality advisories have been in effect since Sunday, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) expects air quality to be unhealthy for sensitive groups through Tuesday for the state’s Upper Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, Eastern Lake Ontario and Central Regions, including Chenango County.

Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew Beckwith said NYSDEC predicts light southwest winds will start to move the smoke out on Tuesday.

The advisory warns of unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, which means that those with breathing difficulties, such as asthma or emphysema, should avoid exposure to the smoke, Beckwith said.

Last week, Beckwith said The National Weather Service anticipated instances of air quality alerts to occur throughout the course of the summer.

Similarly to alerts issued in June, this air quality advisory was due to smoke from wildfires in Canada that carried through the jet stream and into New York, Beckwith said.

In early June, air quality levels reached “hazardous,” the highest level on the air quality index scale.

Norwich Fire Chief Jan Papelino said until wildfires are under control, the county can expect to face frequent air quality alerts like this and will have to learn how to deal with the forecasted conditions.

“After something happens so much, we probably do get somewhat conditioned to it occurring, but it’s something new for us,” he said.

As an effect, Papelino said that those with breathing issues, as well as others, will have to continue to overcome any difficulty posed by the smoke levels.

“I think anybody, either themselves or a family member, whether it be a young child or an elderly person…someone that has a breathing issue, it’s definitely a concern for them,” he said. “Bottom line– it's just not healthy.”