Red Moon Above Bitterroot Valley

The Full Moon was this week and usually, in the fall, that means a bright evening event.

Not this year.

The thick blanket of wildfire smoke brought us an image that looked eerily like a lunar eclipse. An inversion is keeping the smoke low and thick in the western Montana valleys.

The red Moon was full early Wednesday morning. It floated through the layers of smoke, casting a spooky red light below.

Air quality in Hamilton, Missoula and Frenchtown at midmorning Thursday, September 7, remained at the "Unhealthy" level.

Driving through the Bitterroot Valley Wednesday, I noticed (using visual observation methods) other areas that seemed to be into the "Very Unhealthy" levels, at the very least.