The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued an air quality advisory for Centre County as smoke from Canadian wildfires impacts much of Pennsylvania this week.
A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for particulate matter pollution from wildfire smoke will be in effect on Tuesday for Centre and 41 other counties in central and eastern Pennsylvania, the DEP said in release.
Code Orange means the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
“Light southeasterly winds will allow for limited pollutant dispersion,” the DEP wrote. “Sensitive groups of the population including children, older adults and those with respiratory conditions should avoid heavy outdoor activity during this time.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index uses standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting air quality. Green means good air quality; yellow means moderate air quality; orange means unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups; and red means unhealthy pollution levels for all.
The State College area had been at yellow on Monday with an Air Quality Index of 65, according to AirNow.gov. The forecasted AQI for State College on Tuesday is 102, at the low end of the 100-150 range for Code Orange.
Residents and businesses in the Air Quality Action Day areas are encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment, refraining from open burning of leaves and trash and reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use.
Other counties included in the Air Quality Action Day for Tuesday are Potter, Tioga, Clinton, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Frankin, Perry, Cumberland, Adams, York, Dauphin, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Lycoming, Tioga, Montour, Columbia, Sullivan, Bradford, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Carbon, Schuylkill, Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Lebanon, Lancaster, Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Chester and Delaware counties.
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