Ohio’s Air Quality Advisory extended as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads into US

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A statewide Air Quality Advisory has been issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The advisory comes as smoke from the Canadian wildfires “continues to adversely impact air quality,” according to the Ohio EPA.

Air Quality Index, which you can find here, is expected to be in the ranges of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” to “unhealthy,” the Ohio EPA explained Wednesday.

Cincinnati’s Air Quality Index is listed as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

When air quality is in this range, officials with the Ohio Department of Health say certain groups are more at risk than others including people with chronic heart or lung disease, children, the elderly, and pregnant women.

To decrease the potential for health issues, those at risk should limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity, EPA officials said.

The ODH lists other precautions:

• Spend time in a room you can close off from outside air.
• Avoid using candles, gas, propane, wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, and aerosol sprays. Frying or broiling meat, smoking tobacco products, and vacuuming may worse indoor air pollution.
• If you have a central air conditioning system, use high-efficiency filters to capture fine particles from smoke. If your system has a fresh air intake, set the system to recirculate mode or close the outdoor intake damper.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. If your eyes, nose or throat are irritated, running a humidifier may provide some relief.

The Air Quality Advisory issued Wednesday was extended and now is in effect through Thursday.

Particulate levels are expected to remain elevated through Friday, according to the Ohio EPA.

Officials with ODH say smoke from wildfires contains particulates that can be inhaled into your lungs and cause irritation of the eyes, nose or throat, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. They can also aggravate chronic heart and lung conditions.

The AirNow website provides details about the real-time air quality in your area.

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