CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — We've reached that time of year where air quality starts to impact those who may be part of hypersensitive groups, those who suffer from allergies. Right now, all fingers point to our southern neighbor for extra sensitivity.
Agriculture fire burning season has reached its peak in Mexico and while we may be many miles away, we can see some of that very same smoke here in the Coastal Bend.
"Mexico has been real active this year in 2024 for fire season, so what we're seeing the haze and all that by product coming here to Corpus," Texas A&M Agrilife disaster agent Leonel Jauregui said.
It's not a new discovery, but it is an indicator that farmers are busy with peak growing season. Using fire as a natural fertilizer is not only cost efficient but is more of a traditional way to get things done.
"You know it's killing off their weeds, it's killing off other micro-organisms in the ground and it's providing beneficial nutrients and organic matter back into the ground," Jauregui said.
While we will eventually see these same products in our supermarkets at the store, they are starting off in the best place for optimal success.
"Mexico, they're pretty unique because they do have a relatively great climate to where they're not going to see too much cold and the soil is also really great, so that product is going to thrive," he said.
While there are evident positives to agricultural burning, there's also some consequences that we face here in the Coastal Bend.
"It's benefits the soil of course, the downside is it is producing that smoke," Jauregui said.
The same smoke that has increased our air quality index values, into the moderate and even unhealthy for sensitive groups range.
"It causes the irritation of the eye, you have a runny nose, you have a bad sore throat," local pulmonologist Dr. Salim Surani said. "And you know if you have a respiratory illness like asthma or COPD, you are more prone to having shorter breath, or asthma attack, or a COPD exacerbation."
Staying in the house when the air quality is below good, can be challenging at times, but Surani has some remedies that may help.
"If you have to go out and the air pollution level is poor, then I would consider taking any anti-allergy medication over the counter, so at least you don't see the worse effect of that," he said.
Regardless if you are in a sensitive group as those heat index values, the humidity and temperatures go up, it's a reminder for us all to be weather aware.