The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—Dayton General Hospital Respiratory Therapist Tom Anderson said there has been an uptick in people seeking medical care because of poor air quality from smoke due to ongoing fires in northern Washington and British Columbia.

People are having problems with breathing, burning eyes and nose, chest pain and tightness of breath, which brings on anxiety, and compounds the problem, he said.

“On Monday the air quality index was 274, placing Dayton in the Very Unhealthy category, and almost in the Hazardous category for particle pollution,” said Anderson. “That will affect anybody, w...