By Staff Reports
For HDMedia
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is encouraging residents to monitor air quality conditions over the next several days as smoke from Canadian wildfires is expected to move into the region.
According to a news release issued Thursday by the DEP, current forecasts indicate air quality may be impacted across portions of the state starting Thursday and continuing into Friday. Depending on smoke concentrations and weather conditions, some areas could experience elevated Air Quality Index values in the Unhealthy or Very Unhealthy categories, with a limited potential for Hazardous conditions for brief periods in isolated locations.
Additionally, the National Weather Service has issued an air quality alert through midnight Friday into Saturday. The alert covers much of central West Virginia including Huntington, Charleston, Parkersburg and Clarksburg.
The AQI is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s tool for communicating about outdoor air quality and health. The AQI includes six color-coded categories, each corresponding to a range of index values. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern:
- Green: Good
- Yellow: Moderate
- Orange: Unhealthy for sensitive groups
- Red: Unhealthy
- Purple: Very unhealthy
- Maroon: Hazardous
A code red air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations within the local region are unhealthy for the general population. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding outdoor exercise or strenuous activity. Sensitive groups should take additional precautions. These groups include children, the elderly, and people suffering from asthma, heart disease, or other lung diseases.
If air quality worsens, federal health guidance recommends reducing time outdoors and limiting strenuous physical activity, particularly if air quality reaches the Unhealthy category or higher.
According to the DEP release, wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, which can affect anyone, especially sensitive populations: children, older adults, pregnant individuals, and people with heart or lung conditions such as asthma or COPD.
People who experience symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, or difficulty breathing should move indoors and seek medical attention if symptoms become severe.
Monitor air quality, get more info
Residents can monitor current air quality conditions and forecasts by visiting EPA’s AirNow website at AirNow.gov or by using the AirNow mobile app.
DEP will continue working with the National Weather Service offices in the region to issue air quality alerts for affected areas of West Virginia as forecasts evolve.
For more WVDEP news and information, visit dep.wv.gov.
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