Metro Detroit skies hazy from Canada wildfire smoke; air quality advisory until noon
Air quality in metro Detroit was unhealthy for sensitive groups on the morning of Friday, June 6, as Michigan continued to see the effects of Canadian wildfire smoke.
An air quality advisory was expected to remain in effect until noon, and as of 8 a.m., much of metro Detroit fell under the sensitive group listing, according to AirNow.gov. Elsewhere in the area, air quality was deemed moderate rather than good.
The air quality advisory was issued Thursday, June 5, for counties including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe, Lenawee and others in mid-Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy's alert through the National Weather Service.
More: Canadian wildfire smoke engulfs Michigan's Mackinac Bridge, causing it to disappear
More: 'We were not prepared': Canada fought nightmarish wildfires as smoke became US problem
The environmental agency reported that particle pollution could occasionally reach levels that are unhealthy for everyone, not just sensitive groups, according to a June 5 release from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.
Those levels weren't expected to persist, but Saturday could see moderate air quality levels, according to the June 5 release.
When possible, residents should avoid strenuous activities, especially if they have heart disease and respiratory diseases like asthma, according to the weather service alert. They should also monitor for symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness or burning in the nose, throat and eyes.
Residents are also asked to avoid contributing to air pollution during the advisory by avoiding outdoor burning and the use of residential wood-burning devices.
The map below displays the current air quality at monitoring sites in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Air monitoring sites are color-coded based on the pollutant (ozone or particulate matter) with the highest value. Particles that are less than 10 micrometers and 2.5 micrometers in diameter are called PM10 and PM2.5, respectively.
An AQI of 50 or below means the current air quality is good. The shaded areas of the map show the approximate boundaries where air quality is available and listed as anything other than good. The information is updated hourly.
Good
Moderate
Unhealthy for sensitive groups
Unhealthy
Very unhealthy
Hazardous
Some people are more sensitive to air pollution because of their age or health. People who are active or work outdoors are also at higher risk when the air quality is poor. Health concerns related to poor air quality may include difficulty breathing, coughing or wheezing and more serious health effects such as lung damage, asthma attacks, heart attacks and stroke.
Here's how to interpret the Air Quality Index values, according to the U.S. EPA:
Good (0-50): The level of pollution in the air is of little to no risk.
Moderate (51-100): For people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution, a moderate health concern may exist.
Unhealthy for sensitive groups (101-150): People who are more sensitive to air pollution may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.
Unhealthy (151-200): Some people may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
Very unhealthy (201-300): An alert is triggered; the general population is at risk for more serious health effects.
Hazardous (301-500): Emergency conditions health alert: Everyone is likely to be affected.
For more information about air quality, visit AirNow.gov.
Free Press reporter Kristi Tanner contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Canada wildfire smoke affects metro Detroit, Michigan air quality
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