The haze across the Tri-State from Canadian wildfires has been lingering for the past few days and has affected local air quality. The impact is expected to increase Friday.

Right now areas of West Virginia are either in the good or moderate stage, but are likely to move into the unhealthy for sensitive groups phase Friday.

Dr. Steven Eshenaur, the health officer with the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said the sensitive groups include people with lung or breathing issues and children.

“These particles from smoke irritate the lining of the lung and will cause people to sometimes get some bronchospasms, some wheezing and some shortness of breath," Eshenaur said. "In that case you want to use a nebulizer or inhaler and go indoors."

This is something Southeastern Ohio has already been experiencing as the entire state is under an air quality advisory.

“I was trying to remember that there was a statewide air quality advisory and I couldn’t really remember that ever happening," Scioto County Emergency Management Agency Director Larry Mullins said.

Mullins said the smokiness is especially bad in the morning in the Portsmouth area.

“On my way into work, I actually got a good whiff of it and my nose started running and I started coughing," Mullins recalled.

Back in West Virginia, the Department of Environmental Protection is assessing monitors and referencing Air Now and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for air quality updates.

“For this particular issue we do have monitors set up throughout the state from the Northern Panhandle down to Greenbrier County here in Charleston as well as Eastern Panhandle and a few other points in between. They monitor for certain pollutants like ozone and particulate matter," WVDEP Chief Communications Officer Terry Fletcher said.

Eshenaur recommends limiting time outdoors, especially for area residents with lung problems.

“For those that have to be outside with poor air quality I highly recommend a mask - in particular, an N95 mask," Eshenaur advised. "Those are the ones that really pick those very small particles out of the air."