By KRWG News
New Mexico – Wildfires burning around New Mexico have prompted state officials to issue a statewide smoke advisory as well as health advisories for some areas of the state.
The Health Department recommends that sensitive groups, such as the elderly or people with respiratory or heart problems, leave the area where smoke levels are within the unhealthy range until the smoke dissipates or stay inside as much as possible.
Health advisories have been issued for the north-central areas of New Mexico affected by smoke from the Tecolote and the South Fork fires in the Santa Fe National Forest.
Real-time air monitoring data is available for some areas of the state at the Environment Department's website.
Residents can also gauge air quality by checking visibility. Unhealthy levels can exist if visibility is less than two and a half miles.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.