HARRISBURG, Pa. — It's another Code Red air quality day in Pennsylvania.
The state Department of Environmental Protection has expanded the Code Red Air Quality Alert to cover all of the commonwealth through 12 a.m. Friday due to haze from Canadian wildfires, the National Weather Service announced.
Poor air quality may linger through the day Thursday as light wind and limited vertical mixing of the smoke occurs, the National Weather Service said.
"A Code Red Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations may be unhealthy for some members of the general public," the NWS said. "Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
"Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, and outdoor workers."
To minimize the effects of air pollution, the NWS advises Pennsylvania residents to avoid long or intense outdoor activities.
The air quality website AirNow.gov has the following tips for dealing with Code Red Air Quality Conditions:
People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
- Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
- Keep outdoor activities short.
- Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
Everyone else – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
- Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
- Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
- Be active outdoors when air quality is better.
AirNow.gov said it is "looking likely" that an Air Quality Action Day for at least Code Orange will be declared for Thursday as hazy conditions linger.