Smoke from California wildfires is now visible in Kansas

As wildfires continue to rage throughout California, residual plumes of smoke have drifted all the way to the Midwest, reaching as far as the northwestern region of Kansas.

The haze is expected to linger in the air for most of the week before the high-pressure system moves toward the Mississippi Valley and potentially into some of the southeastern states, according to Matt Gerard, lead forecaster of the National Weather Service in Dodge City.

"That's a lot of smoke to be traveling that far east," said Gerard. "We've had some pretty bright red sunrises and sunsets, and the smoke up in the atmosphere coming overhead really gives the sky a grayish look."

Recent wildfires in Colorado have also greatly contributed to the smoggy skies in the Midwest. The lightning-started Pine Gulch Fire, which erupted on July 31, is currently the state's largest and has scorched 129,715 acres in Mesa and Garfield counties, roughly 18 miles north of Grand Junction. As of Sunday morning, it was 19 percent contained, according to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.

"But those other fires in Northern California are putting out a lot of the smoke that we're getting here as well," said Gerard.

Periods of hazy skies aren't all that uncommon during wildfire season, he explained, though the Midwest experienced an especially dry winter and spring this past year, which may have contributed to some of the persisting smoke. The Dodge City NWS reported some reduced air quality on Sunday as temperatures climbed toward the upper 90s across the state.

"I heard someone make the comment that the air smelled like roasting s'mores, and that's not something we usually get out here," said Gerard.

Check air quality in your area here.

Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com -- Twitter: @byabartlett