Smoky conditions expected to last into next week.

Smoked turkey might not sound so enticing at Thanksgiving this year. 

The air quality in the Monterey Peninsula is so bad due to drifting wildfire smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County that it merits the rating of "unhealthy"—and it's not forecast to improve until the middle of next week. 

According to the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, when the air quality reaches that threshold—between 151-200 on the federal air quality index— "residents should limit their activity by staying indoors with the doors and windows closed to avoid breathing smoke. You may want to check with your health care provider to make sure it’s not necessary for you to leave the area."

(An AQI of 0-50 is considered "good.")

According purpleair.com—a website that tracks air quality—at 2:30pm Nov. 16, the AQI was 170 in Marina, 163 in Monterey and 155 in Carmel (the website does not show any measurements in the Salinas Valley). 

"Use common sense," reads a Nov. 9 statement from the Air Resources District. "If it looks smoky outside, it’s probably not a good time to go for a run. And it’s probably not a good time for your children to play outdoors."

The air district also encourages residents to avoid burning wood.

According the National Weather Service, the smoke is expected to remain in the area into next week, when a change in the weather pattern could clear the smoke out and potentially bring rain. 

Even though coastal areas might get some reprieve from weak onshore winds, the National Weather Service forecast states, there is so much smoke over the water that conditions are not expected to meaningfully improve.