Latest news with #CodeOrangeAirQualityActionDay
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
Children Advised Against Going Outside in Parts of North Carolina
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. Children and other sensitive groups are being urged to limit outdoor activity Tuesday in Jones County, North Carolina, where the state's Department of Environmental and Natural Resources has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day as a large wildfire burns in the area. Why It Matters Health officials have emphasized that sensitive groups—including children, older adults, and people with preexisting respiratory conditions—are particularly at risk during periods of poor air quality. What To Know The Air Quality Index (AQI), which measures pollution, was forecast to reach the "unhealthy for sensitive groups category" in Jones County on Tuesday, with a value of 140, which is at the higher range of a Code Orange—a value over 150 is a Code Red, air quality that is unhealthy for everyone. The AQI's Code Orange says "older adults, children, active people, and those with heart or lung disease may experience health effects" and advises those groups to "limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors." According to officials, smoke from the Black Swamp fire prompted the alert. Officials noted that the fire had burned more than 850 acres in the Croatan National Forest. Satellite imagery has detected a visible smoke plume, and an inversion is forecasted to trap smoke near the surface through Tuesday morning, worsening air quality conditions. A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warmer air sits above a layer of cooler air near the ground, reversing the normal temperature pattern (where air usually gets colder with altitude). This "inverted" layer acts like a lid, trapping the cooler air—and whatever pollutants it contains—close to the surface. Elsewhere in the state, yellow pollution levels were forecast in areas like Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Raleigh, where moderate air quality issues may still affect residents. A Code Yellow air quality alert signifies that the Air Quality Index is in the range of 51 to 100, indicating "Moderate" air quality. This level is generally acceptable for the general population; however, individuals who are unusually sensitive to air pollution may experience mild health effects. What People Are Saying Professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine Jonathan Grigg, with Queen Mary, University of London told Newsweek: "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. "Their trajectory can be deviated so they don't actually achieve their maximum lung function." There are also "very clear links" between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, Grigg said. Additionally, Grigg said conditions such as asthma are also exacerbated by exposure to air pollution. What Happens Next At the time of writing, the Code Orange Air Quality Action Day was in effect until midnight.
Newsweek
21-04-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
More Than 13,000 Children Warned Against Outdoor Exposure in One State
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. North Carolina officials issued an air quality alert across three western counties on Sunday, advising some residents to limit outdoor activity through midnight Tuesday because of the presence of unhealthy levels of smoke from nearby wildfires. The advisory particularly impacts children and other sensitive groups in Swain, Graham and McDowell counties. The Code Orange alert, issued by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), signals that air pollution levels are "unhealthy for sensitive groups" and that fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, could approach or exceed federally recognized unsafe levels. Why It Matters The alert affects thousands of young residents across the mountainous western region of North Carolina, where smoke from ongoing wildfires has continued to worsen air quality. Public health officials say prolonged exposure to fine particles in wildfire smoke can aggravate conditions such as asthma, bronchitis and other heart or lung diseases. Children are among the most vulnerable because of their developing respiratory systems and tendency to spend more time outdoors. What to Know The official advisory from NCDEQ went into effect at 3:17 p.m. Sunday and remains active through midnight Tuesday. The air quality alert includes the cities of Alarka, Almond, Bryson City, Luada, Wesser, Robbinsville, Stecoah, Ashford, Sugar Hill, Woodlawn, Old Fort, Marion, Nebo, Dysartsville, Fero, and Glenwood. According to U.S. Census data, there are more than 13,000 children under 18 years old across the three counties. A map from AirNow shows which parts of North Carolina could see air quality that is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups on Monday. A map from AirNow shows which parts of North Carolina could see air quality that is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups on Monday. AirNow "Code Orange Air Quality Action Day will remain in effect... due to ongoing smoke from wildfires in those counties," NCDEQ wrote in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. Under Code Orange conditions, sensitive groups—including children, the elderly and those with preexisting heart or lung conditions—are advised to limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. A NCDEQ spokesperson told Newsweek that daily air quality forecasts are released around 3 p.m. for the following day. School districts and caregivers in the affected zones are encouraged to follow EPA-issued guidelines to reduce children's exposure. The agency recommends keeping children indoors during recess, rescheduling outdoor athletic activities, and using air filters in homes and classrooms. What People Are Saying A spokesperson for the North Carolina DEQ said in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: "Code Orange is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups including older adults, children, and those with heart or lung conditions like asthma. These groups experience health effects and should limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors." The spokesperson added: "Please continue to monitor the air quality in your area as you plan your outdoor activities." AirNow in a description for orange-coded air quality: "Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected." What Happens Next The NCDEQ urged residents to continue monitoring air quality through the state's climate portal, which is regularly updated. If wildfire conditions persist or worsen, alerts may be extended or expanded to additional counties.
