Poco smoke blankets Valley

PHOENIX — A layer of haze covering Valley skies had people coughing and sneezing Wednesday morning and it’s courtesy of the Poco fire east of Payson near Young.

Valerie Myers with the National Weather Service said an overnight wind shift brought the smoke to the Valley. The Maricopa County Air Quality Department issued a health watch for the day.

The department also urged the public to avoid activities that generate dust, such as driving on dirt roads and to drive as little as possible.

Associated Press contributed to this article.