Statewide Air Quality Alert Upgraded as Wildfire Smoke Continues to Impact Pa.

Updated 11:55 a.m. Friday, July 17.

As smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota continues to push across Pennsylvania, poor air quality is expected to worsen overnight Thursday into Friday.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a statewide Code Purple Air Quality Alert for Friday, indicating air pollution levels will be very unhealthy for everyone. A Code Red Alert, or unhealthy for everyone, was in effect on Thursday.

“During Code Purple Air Quality Alerts all residents should avoid long or intense outdoor activities, and sensitive groups such as children, elderly residents and those with respiratory illnesses should avoid all outdoor activities,” the DEP wrote in a news release on Thursday. “All residents are encouraged to move activities indoors.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index uses standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting air quality. Green (0-50) means good air quality; yellow (51-100) means moderate air quality; orange (101-150) means unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups; red (151-200) means unhealthy pollution levels for all; purple (201-300) means very unhealthy pollution levels for all; and maroon (301+) means hazardous.

Current local conditions can be more or less severe than the alert level depending on location at any given time.

The State College area on Thursday afternoon moved into the maroon/hazardous level with an AQI of 352, according to airnow.gov. Other areas of central Pennsylvania, such as Clearfield, DuBois, Lewistown, Lock Haven, Williamsport and Lewisburg, were also at the hazardous level.

The poor air quality on Thursday forced the postponement of the latest round of WingFest at Tussey Mountain and the cancelation of the State College Spikes game against the Williamsport Crosscutters at Medlar Field.

On Friday, Downtown State College Improvement District canceled the Summer Block Party scheduled for East End Social. State College Borough moved its Movies Under the Stars screening of “How to Train Your Dragon,” starting at dusk, from Friedman Park to the community room in the Municipal Building. The Lemont Village Association postponed its Concert on the Green with Urban Fusion to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

During an Air Quality Alert, residents are encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash and other materials and the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.