A smoky haze continues to cover parts of Connecticut. It's thick enough to hide buildings and, at times, strong enough to smell.
"I can tell you that the levels that we monitored yesterday were the highest that I've seen in my career at DEEP, which spans over 30 years," said Paul Farrell, DEEP's acting chief for the Bureau of Air Management.
Farrell says the air quality is still poor, but he is seeing signs of improvement.
"We're seeing unhealthy levels of particulate matter in the air right now. The good news is that even though they are unhealthy, we do expect those levels to be dropping over time," said Farrell.
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Canada's wildfires have created an unusual set of challenges for people around the state.
"We're noticing more debris falling on the actual leaves. We're seeing smaller particles that seem to be affecting the foliage or at least falling on it," said Merrie Avallone, head grower at Dreamland Flower Farm in Cromwell.
Recently, Avallone planted 4,000 dahlias, but she's worried that the poor air quality and smoke will affect the way they grow.
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"Here on the farm, I have never seen anything like it," said Avallone. "I'm very concerned as my main crop is just emerging from the ground, that the leaves aren't going to take up the nutrients that they need from the moisture in the air."
Experts say this smoke can have a negative impact on other crops.
"Beans, tomatoes, watermelon and many other crops are very sensitive to ozone injury," said Shuresh Ghimire, vegetable specialist at UConn.
George Frantzis, co-owner of Quassy Amusement Park, says he has never had to deal with issues related to wildfires.
"It was a learning experience for us all. This is something we haven't seen on this coast," said Frantzis.
He says on Wednesday, several school groups postponed their trips, especially those from New York. The air quality also cancelled some evening events.
But after consulting with local schools and colleagues, he says he felt comfortable having the park open Thursday.
"We have friends in our industry in California, and they thought that today was what they go through on a consistent basis over there," said Frantzis.
As the air quality improves, particulate matter is expected to clear from the east to the west.
"So, the folks in eastern Connecticut, the Groton area and New London area, they'll get relief first. And unfortunately, the folks in Fairfield County will be the last to receive relief as this weather pattern moves the smoke out of Connecticut," said Farrell.
Meantime, he recommends limiting the time you spend outside and avoiding any strenuous outdoor activities. It is also a good idea to have air quality alerts or apps on your phone and to check them every day.
"If we can get one message out to folks is to really just pay attention to air quality, it's more important than you think," said Farell.
