Hundreds of wildfires currently burning in Ontario, Canada and northern Minnesota have resulted in smoke spreading across the US. Currently the smoke is primarily in the Great Lakes region, Midwest, and the Northeast. Air quality alerts have been issued affecting millions of people, and this may become more widespread as the smoke is carried further south. But air quality alerts can be issued for other reasons besides smoke. Let’s talk about what you should know.
What is an Air Quality Alert?
The US Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to communicate information about the quality of outdoor air. Air quality is ranked using a color-coded scale, with green being good air quality, progressing to yellow, orange, red, purple, then maroon, which is the worst.Air quality alerts can be issued by federal or state agencies when the AQI gets into the unhealthy range. They serve as a warning for residents about unhealthy air.
The current alerts are due to wildfire smoke. But air quality alerts can also be issued due to high ozone levels or high air pollution levels. High ozone levels are most common during summer months when the days are long and sunny, and the weather is hot, which leads to high levels of ozone-producing chemicals in the air that combine to produce ozone at ground level. In my area, there have already been air quality alerts for ground ozone this summer.
What Symptoms Can Be Caused by Poor Air Quality?
Primary symptoms include:
- Burning and/or itchy eyes
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Worsened symptoms of chronic respiratory conditions, such as asthma or COPD
What Should You Do During an Air Quality Alert?
Health experts recommend the following:
- Limit outdoor time
- Avoid outdoor exercise and strenuous activities
- Keep windows closed if possible
- Use air conditioning on recirculate
- Monitor respiratory symptoms, especially in children and those with underlying respiratory illnesses
- Stay informed about your local air quality and forecasts
- Consider an indoor air quality monitor if you or a loved one has a respiratory illness
- Consider wearing a tight-fitting N95 mask or P100 respirator when outdoors if the AQI in your area is in the unhealthy range. Surgical or other loose-fitting masks do not block the dangerous microscopic particles in smoky air.
If you would like to learn more about air quality, try this link:
If you have any questions about air quality and health, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.
Dr. Anita Bennett MD – Health Tip Content Editor