On Thursday, the county Health Department issued a Code Maroon air quality alert \u2014 the most severe level \u2014 after concentrations of tiny PM2.5 particles reached hazardous levels.<\/p>\n
The department recommended that people stay inside to the extent possible. People particularly sensitive to air quality \u2014 potentially including those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or other lung diseases \u2014 should stay indoors and \u201ckeep activity levels low,\u201d the county cautioned. So should children, teens and older adults.<\/p>\n
County Executive Sara Innamorato said this means it\u2019s hazardous for everyone, not just sensitive groups, to be outside Friday. But there is hope for relief on Saturday, she said, with rain in the forecast. \u201cHopefully this heavy smoke will clear the area tomorrow,\u201d she said. \u201cBut today we want to encourage everyone to stay safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
For people who don\u2019t have air conditioning inside, Innamorato was encouraging residents to seek out places like libraries, malls and movie theaters. She said the department of human services was reaching out to people without homes to find cool places to get indoors. And she encouraged people who have to work outside today to take precautions.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.publicsource.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC03574.jpg\")
A woman walks along Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh, near the City-County Building on July 17. (Photo by Oliver Morrison\/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)
\nOutdoor concerts, other events nixed<\/p>\n
Allegheny County canceled its summer concert set for South Park on Friday and closed its pools but hasn\u2019t yet canceled any Saturday events.<\/p>\n
The City of Pittsburgh closed pools early on Thursday, and on Friday opted not to open them at all, while cancelling the farmers market on the North Side, plus its Cinema in the Park, Community Pop-Up Concert and Roving Art Cart programs.<\/p>\n
The city extended cooling center operations<\/a> at six Healthy Active Living Centers \u2014 in Beechview, Greenfield, Homewood, Mount Washington, Sheraden and the South Side Flats \u2014 through 7 p.m. Friday.<\/p>\n Industrial emitters told to curb activities<\/p>\n On Thursday, the county triggered an Air Pollution Episode Warning<\/a> for the Mon Valley, which compels companies emitting pollution in that area to temporarily reduce activities.<\/p>\n U.S. Steel said in response to questions from Pittsburgh’s Public Source that it “has adjusted operations as required until air quality improves and alerts are lifted” per the county’s episode response plan. The company noted that this week’s air quality problems are driven by wildfires, “not localized industrial activity or inversion conditions.”<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.publicsource.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260717-Air-Quality-Alert-Pittsburgh-05.jpg\")
The homes and slopes of Troy Hill are barely visible beyond the top floors of the Strip District\u2019s Cork Factory through smoke from Canadian wildfires on July 17. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg\/Pittsburgh\u2019s Public Source)<\/p>\n