Smoke from wildfires has created unhealthy air quality conditions across southwestern Montana.
State environmental officials listed the air quality as "hazardous" in Hamilton Friday and "unhealthy" in Missoula, Helena, Butte, Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Frenchtown and Seeley Lake.
No outdoor activity is recommended for children under 18 when the air quality is that poor, and several high school soccer and football games this week have been postponed or moved.
Saturday's University of Montana homecoming game against Northern Arizona is expected to go on.
Paula Short of the Montana Department of Natural Resources says the largest contributors to the smoke are wildfires burning in Idaho, including the 518-square-mile Mustang complex.
The Sawtooth Fire has burned 8 ½ square miles west of Hamilton and Short says that fire is 45 percent contained.
Smoke leads to unhealthy air quality in SW Mont.
MISSOULA COUNTY
POSTED: 12:40 PM Sep 21 2012
UPDATED: 1:13 PM Sep 21 2012
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