If the air outside of your house looks foggy and the spring air has started to smell like fire smoke, it could be from the wildfire in southern Ocean County.

The wildfire that broke out Tuesday in Waretown has continued to blaze later into the week, causing smoke to spread through the skies and air quality to drop in some areas.

According to AirNow, the government’s site for tracking air quality data, both Ocean and Monmouth counties are experiencing moderate air quality Thursday afternoon, at an Air Quality Index of 68. This means that the air quality is acceptable, but there may be an increased risk for some people, especially those who are unusually sensitive to air pollutants.

The Environmental Protection Agency established the Air Quality Index for the five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act, according to AirNow. These pollutants are:

• ground-level ozone
• particle pollution (also known as particulate matter, including PM2.5 and PM10)
• carbon monoxide
• sulfur dioxide
• nitrogen dioxide

With moderate air quality, those who are particularly sensitive to these pollutants should consider reducing activity level or shorten their time spent active outside, according to AirNow. PM2.5 was the primary pollutant listed Thursday afternoon.

As of Thursday morning, the wildfire had burned about 15,000 acres in Waretown and Lacey townships, and destroyed a commercial building, according to officials.

The air quality readings are updated every hour, AirNow said. Moderate air quality is predicted again on Friday for both Monmouth and Ocean counties.