(Radio Iowa) – Air quality due to smoke across Iowa’s eastern half remains in the “very unhealthy” category today (Thursday) and comparisons are being drawn about the equivalent of how many cigarettes you’d be smoking just by being outside. Des Moines oncologist Dr. Richard Deming says it’s unclear if the environmental conditions are raising our risk of developing lung cancer, but it’s certainly not good.

Inhaling smoke of any kind is detrimental to health, Dr. Deming says, adding it’s “theoretically possible” that inhaling Canadian forest fire smoke for a few weeks increases the risk of lung cancer. The Iowa D-N-R is extending its air quality advisory for the state’s eastern half through midnight tonight, and even healthy adults are urged to limit outdoor activities. Lung cancer is the most common cancer killer in Iowa, accounting for one out of every four cancer deaths.