United States Active Warning and Alerts Center

Dodge County, NE Washington County, NE Butler County, NE Saunders County, NE Douglas County, NE Sarpy County, NE Seward County, NE Lancaster County, NE Cass County, NE Otoe County, NE Saline County, NE Jefferson County, NE Gage County, NE Johnson County, NE Nemaha County, NE Pawnee County, NE Richardson County, NE

The following is transmitted in collaboration with the Nebraska
Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska
Department of Environment and Energy...

WHAT...Air Quality Alert

WHERE...Southeastern Nebraska

WHEN... 03/21/2026 8:00 PM until 03/22/2026 9:00 AM

POLLUTANT...PM 2.5 particulates

AIR QUALITY INDEX...Moderate to periodic Unhealthy for Sensitive
Groups

ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

An alert for possible Moderate (Air Quality Index yellow category)
to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups AQI (Air Quality Index orange
category) due to smoke has been issued for the following Nebraska
counties: Butler, Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson,
Lancaster, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline, Sarpy,
Saunders, Seward, and Washington, from March 21, 8:00 pm through
March 21, 9:00 am.

During Moderate (AQI yellow category) conditions, those who are
unusually sensitive to particle pollution may experience health
effects, and are advised to minimize prolonged or heavy exertion.
Symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath are signs to take
it easier.

During Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange category)
conditions, members of sensitive groups may experience health
effects. Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung
disease, older adults, children/teens, pregnant women, and those
who are active outdoors. Members of sensitive groups are advised
to minimize prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors and take more
breaks.

Smoke from prescribed burning may affect the air quality in
Nebraska. Smoke levels and wind directions are monitored by
Nebraska and other states to predict when impacts to the air
quality may occur.

Information regarding prescribed burning impacts is available from
the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE)
at https://dee.nebraska.gov/smoke-and-air-quality.

Alerts are based on data available from weather forecasts, smoke
plume modeling, satellite imagery, and from air quality monitors
located in Omaha, Bellevue, Blair, Lincoln, Beatrice, Grand
Island, and Scottsbluff.

Advisories for smoke and air quality are issued for affected areas
by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and
Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) and posted on
agency webpages and social media sites. By notifying the media
and local health departments, alerts help citizens protect their
health by informing them of days where outdoor activities should
be reduced or avoided to minimize exposure to smoke.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...