Smoke invasion limits sports, outdoor time

A smoky haze settles in north of Colfax Sept. 3.

The Whitman County Health Department advises residents to beware of poor air quality due to smoke from fires in neighboring Latah County, Montana, British Columbia and the Washington and Oregon Cascades.

“We’re between red and purple,” Troy Henderson, Public health director, reported to county commissioners Tuesday morning, referring to coded ratings used by the Washington State Department of Ecology.

“Red is bad, purple is worse.”

Red is termed “unhealthy” and purple “very unhealthy.”

A red designation calls for everyone to limit time spent out...