Code Orange Air Quality Action Day in place as smoke from Canadian wildfires moves through Western Pa.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Code Orange Air Quality Alert is once again in place for the Pittsburgh area due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires moving through Western Pennsylvania.
Experts say the unhealthy air quality is especially harmful for children, older people, and those with lung issues.
The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection issued a Code Red alert for the Pittsburgh area yesterday.
The DEP is forecasting a Code Orange day for our area today, meaning there will be harmful levels of pollution for those sensitive groups of people.
The DEP also says those groups of people are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor acitivites.
If the alert goes back to red, the air will be unhealthy for everyone.
Experts say no one should really breathe in the smoke particles because they can irritate and inflame the lungs.
To protect yourself during times of poor air quality, you can do the following:
- Stay inside as much as possible
- Limit your physical activity
- Keep your windows and doors closed
- Turn on your air conditioning
- Keep your windows closed while driving
- If you do go outside, wear a mask like an N95
Experts say to use common sense, keep an eye on air quality data for your area and avoid leaving your home during extremely polluted times.
