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Researchers Launch Study to Learn Effects of Wildfire Smoke

Researchers want to discover the effects of extended exposure to such high levels of hazardous wildfire smoke

By Justin Franz
Smoke fills the Lake Koocanusa area near West Kootenai on Sept. 6, 2017. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

SEELEY LAKE — Scientists are studying the effects hazardous smoke had on residents in and around Seeley Lake due to wildfires that raged in the area.

KGVO-AM reports Air Quality Specialist Sarah Coefield says her department reached out to the University of Montana for help in studying the people who suffered so long in the smoky conditions. She says researchers were able to go to Seeley Lake this week and take enough material to screen about 100 residents.

Coefield says researchers want to discover the effects of extended exposure to such high levels of hazardous wildfire smoke.

Coefield says the University of Montana scientists and health workers will take the data they have gathered and run more studies to determine what happened to the residents.

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