If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services in Columbia SC has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particulates for Pickens County, the northern half of Greenville County, and the northern half of Spartanburg County in the Upstate region of South Carolina, from 8 PM this evening to noon EDT Tuesday. Wind is expected to turn out of the northwest this evening, which will push smoke from the wildfires in northern Pickens and northern Greenville counties southward into parts of the Upstate. The smoke will be most noticeable in locations along and north of a line from Pumpkintown to Travelers Rest and Landrum. A code orange Air Quality Alert means that the fine particulate concentrations within the specified areas will likely reach unhealthy standards for individuals sensitive to particulate pollution. In this case, areas along and north of SC Highway 11 will be affected most. South Carolina DES recommends that individuals with respiratory health issues limit time spend outdoors and/or move all activities indoors to avoid the smoke or fine particulates. Keep windows and doors closed. Run an air conditioner if you have one but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke and fine particulates from getting inside. For more information about fine particulates, please visit: https://fire.airnow.gov.