(WTAJ) — As wildfires continue, another air quality alert is being issued for a dozen Pennsylvania counties.
The Code Orange alert will be in effect Monday, July 20, in Lawrence, Butler, Armstrong, Indiana, Cambria, Beaver, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Greene, Fayette and Somerset counties, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
A temperature inversion will hold residual wildfire smoke near the surface, pushing particulate matter 2.5 levels into the Code Orange range.
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During a code orange, sensitive groups including children, older adults, and those with respiratory conditions should avoid heavy outdoor activity.
For more air quality forecasts, you can check out www.airnow.gov.
Three tornadoes confirmed in western Pennsylvania
Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Alert areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:
Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment; and
Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all. An Air Quality Alert is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher.
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