As a result of the recent wildfire activity in the western United States, Garfield County health officials have issued an air quality advisory lasting through the weekend.

Moderate levels of smoke have been detected and are expected to linger from Palisade to Carbondale including in Parachute, Rifle, Silt, New Castle, and Glenwood Springs.

"This is a great reminder for anyone who has not signed up for alerts on the garco911.org site, to do so now,"Paul Reaser, environmental health program manager, said. "It just takes a moment to register and begin receiving emergency communications alerts... and is also helpful for people to keep monitoring local air conditions to better understand the risks.”

Garfield County has real-time local air quality information available on www.garfield-county.com/air-quality/index.aspx.

Officials are warning people with sensitive lungs to stay indoors, turn off swamp coolers and stay relaxed as the smoke levels remain.