LIZ BALIS/Arizona Daily Wildcat A haze was visible over the Tucson skyline late yesterday afternoon, looking northwest from the roof of the Henry Koeffler building.

Students should limit their outdoor activity as a combination of factors, that include the California wildfires, take their toll on Tucson's air, local experts said.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has extended an advisory warning that it issued Wednesday until 11:59 p.m. today. The advisory urges the elderly, children, and people who suffer from respiratory problems and asthma to limit outdoor activities.

Due to high winds, blowing dust, and lingering smoke, pollution particle concentrations are at unhealthy levels, according to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

"The thing to do is limit exposure to outside, if things can wait then people should wait and do them later," said Frances Dominguez, the coordinator at the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.

It looks like it might even get worse over the next few days as firefighters continue to struggle to put out the fires that are blazing from San Diego to Los Angeles, Dominguez said.

Yesterday, as a haze settled over Tucson, clouding the mountains, some wondered whether the smoke from the fire had reached Tucson.

"I did notice a difference in the sky, and I presumed that's (the California fires) what it was," said Susan Ott, a member of the UA theatre arts advisory board.

But Dominguez said that she is not sure whether the wildfires caused the decreased visibility, citing high winds and blowing dust as the probable causes.

"I thought it was cloudy," said Manuel Mascarenas, an economics senior. "I thought there were clouds and some dust."

The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality also issued an advisory on Wednesday. That advisory expired yesterday.

The pollution particles in the air concern health advisors because the particles can pass through the nose hairs that usually serve as protection. If people have breathing problems, this can make matters worse.

Symptoms people will have are itchy, watery eyes, an itch nose, coughing, and headaches. People should definitely visit their doctor if they have respiratory problems and are experiencing these symptoms.

"It almost looked like it was going to rain," said Rebecca Blakiston, an interdisciplinary studies junior. "But I didn't notice a breathing difference or anything. It just looked different."

÷ Eliza Tebo and Sam Gorman contributed to this report