Millions Told To Avoid Drive-Thru Lanes in Texas
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Millions of people in Texas have been told to avoid drive-thru lanes on Wednesday amid concerns over high air pollution levels.
Air quality alerts have been issued across numerous states for Wednesday, covering parts of Texas, Minnesota, Connecticut, Colorado and Washington.
The warnings mean ground-level ozone and particulate concentrations are forecast to reach dangerous levels. In some areas, the pollution comes from drifting wildfire smoke.
Why It Matters
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the general public as well as sensitive groups—children, seniors, and individuals with preexisting respiratory or heart conditions—might experience health effects linked to poor air quality in the affected regions.
"Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, should limit prolonged or heavy exertion," it said.
"Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood-burning devices. Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible. Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors."
Stock image of a customer being served at a drive-thru counter at a Dairy Queen on June 20, 2025, in Sunrise, Florida.
Stock image of a customer being served at a drive-thru counter at a Dairy Queen on June 20, 2025, in Sunrise, Florida.
Jesus Aranguren/AP/Dairy Queen
What To Know
In Texas, an Ozone Action Day for the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area has been issued for Wednesday. The region had a population of more than 7.8 million in 2020.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said in the NWS alert: "Atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone air pollution in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Wednesday.
"You can help prevent ozone pollution by sharing a ride, walking, riding a bicycle, taking your lunch to work, avoiding drive-thru lanes, conserving energy, and keeping your vehicle properly tuned."
In Minnesota, an air quality alert for fine particle pollution has been issued for the northeast until 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Air quality is forecast to be in the unhealthy for sensitive groups range.
In Washington, an air quality alert has been issued for Mason County, west of Seattle, until 9 a.m. on Friday due to smoke from the Bear Gulch Fire, which has been burning since July 6.
In Colorado, an air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke has been issued in select areas until 9 a.m. in response to wildfires such as the Lee and Elk fires, which between them have burned close to 150,000 acres.
The Lee fire, which had blazed through 130,000 acres alone by Monday morning, was sparked by lightning on August 2 and became the fifth largest in state history. Around 1,000 firefighters are battling the huge inferno—which was only 7 percent contained at the start of the week—amid gusty winds and dry conditions.
Meanwhile in Connecticut, an Air Quality Action Day has been issued for western counties until 11 p.m., covering the city of Hartford. The warning means that ground level ozone levels may approach or exceed unhealthy levels.
What People Are Saying
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said in the NWS alert: "Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices. Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible. Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors."
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said: "If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and older adults.
"Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than five miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy."
Jonathan Grigg, a professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine at Queen Mary University of London, previously told Newsweek that there are "very clear links" between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
He added: "There are vulnerable groups and classically they are children because they've got an extra issue to do with their lungs developing, whereas our lungs are not developing as adults."
What Happens Next
The majority of the air quality alerts are currently set to remain in force until late Wednesday.
Regular updates regarding air pollution levels are issued on the NWS website and on the Environmental Protection Agency's AirNow interactive map.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
31 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows US States Where COVID Cases Are Rising
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. COVID-19 cases are rising in 31 states and "likely growing" in 14 others, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The government agency, which coordinated the national response to the pandemic, said that 45 states were seeing high chances of increased COVID cases, five years after the pandemic began. Why It Matters Since the start of the pandemic, heath authorities have kept an eye on the number of cases across the world. While the development of a vaccine means that increased cases will no longer be met with the same lockdown policies, COVID cases are still a cause for concern, especially for the unvaccinated and immunocompromised. What To Know The number of states in which COVID cases appear to be growing has increased from 27 to 31 since August 5. Most significantly, the data shows that California switched from "likely growing" to "growing," meaning that the most populous state in the union is now measuring an increasing number of COVID cases. Other large population hubs, like Texas, New York and Florida, have stayed in the "growing" category. A majority of the U.S. population lives in a "growing" state. The only states to report no growth in COVID cases were Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire and North Dakota, along with Washington, D.C. A spokesperson for the CDC told Newsweek that "COVID-19 activity is increasing in many Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southern and West Coast states. The most recent genomic surveillance estimates indicated that the most common variants in the U.S. were NB. 1.8.1 and LP. 8.1 in late June. "Due to low numbers of sequences reported to CDC, precision in the most recent reporting period is low." What People Are Saying Dr. Steven Goldberg, a physician and chief medical officer at HealthTrackRx, told Newsweek: "The current rise in COVID-19 cases is likely multifactorial. Increased summer travel, indoor gatherings due to high temperatures, waning vaccine immunity and the emergence of immune-evasive Omicron subvariants like KP.3 and LB.1 all play a role. "Wastewater surveillance, along with anecdotal reports of increased COVID-19-related ER and urgent care visits, corroborate this increase." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a statement: "As of August 5, 2025, we estimate that COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 45 states, declining or likely declining in 0 states, and not changing in 5 states." What Happens Next The CDC will continue to monitor any spread of COVID across the U.S.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Bagel Recall Update As FDA Issues Risk Warning
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A recall of bagels and pastries due to possible undeclared allergens has been issued the second-highest risk warning by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Bonami Baking Company, Inc., based in California, issued a voluntary recall on July 24 for various bagel, bun and croissant products due potential undeclared milk, wheat, eggs, and soy. The FDA later issued a Class II risk classification for the recall on August 13. Newsweek contacted the Bonami Baking Company, Inc. for comment by email outside of regular working hours. Stock image. The Bonami Baking Company, Inc. issued a voluntary recall on July 24 for various bagel, bun and croissant products due potential undeclared allergens. Stock image. The Bonami Baking Company, Inc. issued a voluntary recall on July 24 for various bagel, bun and croissant products due potential undeclared allergens. Francis Chung/POLITICO/AP Why It Matters A Class II risk classification (one of three) refers to a situation in which the "use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote," according to the FDA. Milk, wheat, eggs and soy are four of the nine major food allergens. The others are fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and sesame. Allergic reactions vary in severity from mild symptoms, such as hives and lip swelling, to life-threatening complications, such as anaphylaxis, that may include fatal respiratory problems. What To Know The products impacted by the recall are the following: Whole Grain Par Baked Jalapeno Cheddar Bagel - 192 cases (72 pieces/case) - undeclared milk Cheddar Bagel - 6,156 pieces - undeclared milk and wheat Chocolate Croissants - 21,096 pieces - undeclared wheat, milk, and soy Whole Wheat Chocolate Croissants - 351 cases (144 pieces/case) - undeclared milk and soy Wheat Hamburger Buns - 61,862 packages (12 dozen/package) - undeclared milk and/or eggs The products have use-by dates between 7/20/2025 and 7/20/2026. They were distributed to retail locations in California. As of August 13, there had been no reports of illnesses in connection to the consumption of the recalled products. What People Are Saying The FDA, on its website: "People with food allergies should read labels and avoid the foods they are allergic to. The law requires that food labels identify the food source of all major food allergens used to make the food." The Mayo Clinic, on its website: "Milk allergy is an atypical immune system response to milk and products containing milk. It's one of the most common food allergies in children. Cow's milk is the usual cause of milk allergy, but milk from sheep, goats, buffalo and other mammals also can cause a reaction. "An allergic reaction usually occurs soon after you or your child consumes milk. Signs and symptoms of milk allergy range from mild to severe and can include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Milk allergy can also cause anaphylaxis — a severe, life-threatening reaction." Dr. Sebastian Lighvani, director of New York Allergy & Asthma PLLC, previously told Newsweek: "Every three minutes in the United States, someone ends up in an emergency room because of an allergic reaction after accidental ingestion of food. So even when we try hard, these reactions are happening. And if you look at the incidence of anaphylaxis, it has skyrocketed in the last five, 10, 20 years. And in the U.S., there's like a 300 to 400 percent increase in the rates of anaphylaxis to foods." What Happens Next The recalls are listed as ongoing, according to the FDA. Consumers who have allergies or sensitives to milk, wheat, eggs and soy should not consume the recalled products.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Colorado Rabbits Growing 'Tentacles' Sparks Warning
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Residents in Fort Collins, Colorado, have been reporting sightings of wild rabbits with tentacle-like, black spiny growths around their mouths and faces, according to the local news station WFSB. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson told Newsweek that the growths are "most likely the rabbit (or shope) papilloma virus which is not uncommon in Colorado." "We have started to take more reports of rabbits in the northern Colorado area affected with the virus since photos were first published last Friday," they said. "We're up to maybe a dozen or so reports, but it's most likely people reporting the same rabbits and not a dozen rabbits infected." While the virus is not known to be contagious to other animals or humans, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has advised people to leave affected wild rabbits alone and ensure their pets do not to go near them. Why It Matters The unusual appearance of the rabbits has drawn significant concern among locals and even social media users online, prompting a number of references to the TV series The Last of Us, which follows two characters as the world is taken over by a fungal infection. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images What To Know Locals have described the growths as scabby patches with black, toothpick-like or quill-like protrusions around the mouth and face of cottontail rabbits spotted in yards and parks in Fort Collins, according to the WFSB report. The virus can also cause tumors resembling mini-antlers on their head. Per the outlet, one anonymous resident said: "It's kind of like a, just like a scabby-ish-looking growth over their face." Another local, Susan Mansfield, told the outlet: "Looks like it was black quills or black toothpicks sticking out all around his mouth, or her mouth." She added that she had seen a bunny continue to appear in her yard with the growths, and she told WFSB she thought "he would die off during the winter, but he didn't, he came back a second year, and it grew." Why Rabbits Are Growing 'Tentacles' Some say the Shope papilloma virus played a role in the cultivation of the North American myth of the jackalope and similar horned rabbit creatures, and that it also helped scientists discover that a virus could cause cancer, paving way for the HPV vaccine to be developed. Rabbits, typically wild cottontail populations, can get the virus from the bites of certain insects, such as mosquitoes and ticks, particularly during the summer months when it is warmer. The virus is related to the human papillomavirus, but SPV is not currently known to affect humans, although experts still advise that humans should stay away from any wild rabbits with the virus. For pet owners, clinical guidance for rabbits with the virus is to have the tumors removed, in case they become malignant, even though they can resolve themselves on their own. "We would be concerned only if the growths are on the eyes or impede the rabbit's ability to eat," a Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson told Newsweek. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. The virus infects rabbits, causing keratinous carcinomas, typically on or near the animal's head. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. The virus infects rabbits, causing keratinous carcinomas, typically on or near the animal's head. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images What People Are Saying Social media user Janice Nodine, wrote in a post on X: "Rabbits in Fort Collins are turning up with black, tentacle-like growths sprouting from their heads. Experts say it's caused by Shope Papillomavirus—a condition the animals carry for life. Officials insist it's "not dangerous to humans" … but warn: DO NOT TOUCH THEM. Strange, right? Makes you wonder what's really going on …" Dom Lucre, a social media user with more than 1.5 million followers on X, wrote on the platform: "Colorado officials just sent a warning of: "DO NOT TOUCH" to their residents after rabbits were spotted invading parts of the U.S. with weird tentacles sprouting from their heads due to virus." What Happens Next Colorado Parks and Wildlife have advised residents to keep their distance from affected wild rabbits.
