APPLETON (NBC 26) — Despite the smoky haze blanketing the Fox Cities, many residents are continuing their outdoor activities while taking extra precautions to protect their health.
The region is currently under an air quality alert due to smoke from Canadian wildfires drifting into the area.
Katie Chicquette and her son Christian Adams didn't let the poor air quality stop them from enjoying a round of disc golf, though they made sure to take preventive measures.
"And he said 'you have to drink lots of water, you have to take your Flonase so here's my Dad still parenting me, in his 70s and my 40s,'" Chicquette said.
The mother-son duo has developed their own system of reminders about health precautions during outdoor activities.
"Right! And now he's actually the one reminding me and he's like 'hey you know, you gotta do this, so,'" Chicquette said.
According to our weather team at NBC 26, when air quality drops in northeast Wisconsin, it typically reaches the orange category, meaning it's particularly dangerous for sensitive groups including young children, senior citizens, and those with respiratory issues. However, at times this summer, even healthy people have been affected by the smoke.
Chicquette noticed the effects herself during their disc golf outing.
"I did say to my son about 2/3s of the way through the round 'oh I'm starting to feel the air quality a little bit.' More in a headache than my lungs," Chicquette said.
Despite not having chronic respiratory conditions, Chicquette still felt the impact of the poor air quality.
"I don't have asthma, I don't have any, like, chronic lung conditions and I would feel a great deal of empathy and sympathy who do, but then even myself who doesn't have this chronic conditions, I would start to feel it," Chicquette said.
For Adams, Wisconsin's limited good weather means making the most of outdoor time regardless of conditions.
"The weather we've got here in Wisconsin, I've got to take advantage of it as best as I can. So if it's 95 I'm probably going to be out here," Adams said.
When asked if smoke would deter him, Adams was resolute: "If I can breathe, I'm going to be out here, so."
For more weather updates, click here.
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