Air quality alert issued for eastern Nebraska for smoke from Kansas burns

The eastern third of Nebraska may deal with degraded air quality through the middle of the week as winds carry smoke from burns from the region to the north. 

The National Weather Service issued an air quality alert for much several eastern Nebraska counties that will stay in effect through Wednesday afternoon. Officials say prescribed burning is being conducted in Kansas and south winds may bring that smoke into the area the next few days. 

In this time the air quality index may reach the yellow to orange categories in the area, which corresponds to moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups. 

Counties included in the air quality alert include:

Jefferson, Gage, Saline, Fillmore, Thayer, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson, Cass, Otoe, Lancaster, Seward, York, Sarpy, Doughlas, Saunders, Butler, Washington, Dodge, Colfax, Platte, Burt, Cuming, Stanton, Madison, Boone, Wayne, Pierce, Antelope, Thurston, Cedar, Knox, Dixon, Dakota, Nance, Merrick, Polk, Hamilton and Clay. 

Southeast Nebraska saw similar conditions Friday evening, but that was due to wildfires burning in central and northeast Kansas, not prescribed burns. Those wildfires have since been brought under control, according to the Kansas Forest Service.