Millions of people across the eastern United States have been told to remain indoors and cut back on outdoor activity as dangerous air quality alerts spread across at least 11 states.
According to Newsweek, a potent mix of wildfire smoke from Canada, intense heat, and pollution-driven ozone is creating unhealthy conditions from New England to the Mid-Atlantic and parts of Southern California.
The National Weather Service said air quality alerts were in effect Tuesday across parts of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland — as well as parts of Southern California, where wildfire smoke is worsening conditions.
The main threats are ground-level ozone and drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires. Unlike the protective ozone layer high in the atmosphere, ground-level ozone forms when heat and sunlight react with pollution from cars, power plants, and other sources.
As Newsweek noted, much of the eastern U.S. is in the season's first major heat wave, and conditions are especially favorable for pollution to build.
Temperatures are climbing into the upper 90s in some places, and officials said the alerts could last into Wednesday or Thursday, depending on how weather patterns shift. Maine's Department of Environmental Protection announced the season's first ozone-action day on Tuesday for its southern and coastal counties. At the same time, Pennsylvania put a Code Orange in place across the state's southeastern part.
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Comparable advisories were also in place in New Jersey and around the Washington-Baltimore region.
Health officials are urging children, older adults, pregnant women, and anyone with asthma, heart disease, or other chronic conditions to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day, generally between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Poor air quality can quickly turn a summer day into a health risk. Ozone and wildfire smoke can be especially dangerous for people with asthma, heart disease, and other respiratory conditions, as Newsweek noted.
Scientists have warned that Canadian wildfire seasons have worsened in recent years as the climate has warmed.
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Air conditioning and high-quality indoor air filtration can help reduce exposure to indoor pollution in homes and offices.
Officials are also asking residents to help limit additional pollution during the alert period. That means cutting back on driving when possible, filling up vehicles later in the evening, and avoiding gas-powered lawn equipment that can worsen ozone formation.
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