LOCKWOOD - A malfunctioning air quality monitor is temporarily offline after reporting inaccurate air quality data, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
The monitor, which measures fine particulate matter, has been producing erroneous readings because of a malfunction with the equipment. Those tiny PM2.5 particles are the primary health concern during wildfire smoke events because they are small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs.
DEQ officials said technicians inspected the monitor July 3 and attempted repairs, including replacing a filter that separates the fine particles the monitor is designed to measure. The repair did not resolve the problem, and the monitor remains offline while officials continue troubleshooting.
The agency does not yet know what caused the malfunction. DEQ plans to replace additional equipment around July 7, and the monitor could remain offline for several more days.
Officials said the faulty monitor was incorrectly reporting all airborne particles instead of only fine particulate matter, causing air quality readings to appear much higher than actual conditions. The affected monitor currently appears grayed out on public air quality maps.
A nearby lower-grade sensor continues to provide air quality information, and DEQ said another nearby sensor is reporting normal conditions.
The inaccurate readings may have triggered air quality alerts through some third-party weather apps that automatically pull data from the nearest monitoring station.
DEQ encourages anyone concerned about current air quality to use the federal AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, which provides real-time air quality information and smoke forecasts. Residents can also sign up for email notifications and smoke forecasts through the AirNow website.
