The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is extending an air quality health advisory issued Monday.
The extended advisory covers all of Western New York, with the pollutant of concern being fine particulate matter developed from Canadian wildfire smoke. These types of advisories are sent out if DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution that are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 100.
The advisory will be in effect all day Tuesday, August 5.
Dr. James McDonald, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, said those working outdoors in unhealthy Western New York areas should monitor their health closely.
"So, if you're seeing an impact, coughing, short of breath, you really need to let your supervisor know, and then maybe go inside," McDonald said. "I think one of the other things that came to mind is, when you add this adverse air quality to the heat, it really makes hydration even more important. In other words, really important to look at. Ask yourself, am I staying plenty hydrated here? Because these two can interact together and cause a bit of a challenge for you."
What steps should I take?
When the AQI is in the "unhealthy" category, people should take the following steps per the DEC:
- Everyone should reduce long or intense outdoor activities.
- Take more breaks.
- Sensitive groups should move activities indoors or reschedule outdoor events for another day.
- If outdoor activity is unavoidable, take frequent breaks and move indoors if symptoms occur (During high-heat air pollution events, seek indoor locations with air conditioning or go to a cooling center).
The "unhealthy" category applies when the air quality index is between 151-200.
You can monitor the current air quality for your zip code at airnow.gov.
What is Air Quality Index (AQI)?
The DEC states the AQI is a scale used for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. The AQI correlates levels of different pollutants to one scale. The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern. An Air Quality Health Advisory is issued to alert sensitive groups to take necessary precautions when ozone and/or fine particle levels are expected to exceed an AQI value of 100.
