Smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to continue to affect air quality throughout Pennsylvania on Thursday.
The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Code Red Air Quality Action Day for the entire commonwealth on Thursday. It marks the second consecutive day Pennsylvania will be at Code Red, which indicates indicates air pollution levels will be unhealthy for everyone.
“On a Code Red Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should avoid outdoor activities, and everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion,” DEP wrote in a news release.
While average air quality is expected to be in the Code Red range, conditions could reach Code Purple in some areas. In the Code Purple range, “young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems should avoid all physical activity outdoors. Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion,” according to DEP.
Smoky air is expected to continue to impact the state through Friday, with possible relief on Saturday.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index uses standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting air quality. Green indicates good air quality; yellow is moderate air quality; orange means unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups; red indicates unhealthy pollution levels for all; and purple means very unhealthy areas.
The Air Quality Index in the State College area as of 6 p.m. on Wednesday was 183, which is in the Code Red range, according to AirNow.gov. The forecasted Air Quality Index for Thursday is 185, also in the Code Red range.
“Concentrations of smoke will likely be high throughout the day in western Pennsylvania and increasing throughout the day in eastern Pennsylvania,” DEP wrote in the news release.
“Conditions will likely be worse in the morning as a natural weather phenomenon called an atmospheric inversion will keep smoke filled air closer to the surface, and prevent air from higher elevations to mix with air closer to the ground.”
Smoke from the wildfires is expected to contribute to higher concentrations of fine particulate matter, which can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals, according to the DEP. Residents in Air Quality Action Day areas are encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash and other materials, and avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
Smoky air from wildfires in eastern Canada impacted Pennsylvania and other parts of the United States earlier in the month. On June 7, the entire state was under a Code Red alert and air quality remained at unhealthy levels for several days, forcing the cancelation of events in Centre County such as the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games and a State College Spikes game.
