Millions of Americans across four states have been advised to avoid driving amid warnings of potentially hazardous air pollution levels.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued air quality alerts in partnership with regional agencies across parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Minnesota on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that exposure to ozone may irritate the respiratory tract, cause airway inflammation, and aggravate existing conditions such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Vulnerable populations — such as older adults, children and individuals with lung diseases — are at greater risk.
Joshua A. Bickel/AP
What To Know
In Kentucky, the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District warned that air quality is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups due to ozone pollution.
“Sensitive groups include the elderly, children, persons with asthma or other breathing
problems, and persons with lung and heart disease,” it said in the NWS warning. “People in these groups are advised to limit their outdoor activities to reduce their exposure to ozone and particulate pollution.”
In Ohio, air quality alerts have been issued for the following counties due to ozone: Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Warren, Delaware, Fairfield, Licking, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit.
Residents in these areas are encouraged to carpool, walk, bike, or take public transportation. They are also encouraged not to idle in vehicles as exhaust fumes can contribute to air pollution.
In Indiana, air quality alerts cover numerous counties including Harrison, Washington, Scott, Jefferson, Dearborn, Wayne, Fayette, Union, Ripley, Ohio, and Switzerland.
An air quality alert for fine particles has also been issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for the northwest portion of the state.
“A band of heavy smoke from wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba is moving south across southern Manitoba and will reach northwest Minnesota by early Wednesday morning,” the alert said.
A stationary front will keep smoke confined to northwest Minnesota through Wednesday. As the front moves east overnight, northwest winds will spread smoke across northeast, central, and southwest Minnesota by Thursday afternoon, the agency said.
It added that the air quality alert may be expanded, with impacts lasting through Friday. Southerly winds on Friday will push smoke north, gradually improving air quality, it said.
What People Are Saying
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management said in the NWS recall notice: “Here are some recommended actions that the public can take: walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation; avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip; avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7pm; turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds; conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above.”
AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham told Newsweek previously: “Ozone is a secondary pollutant, meaning it’s not emitted directly from sources, but is formed through chemical reactions. These reactions require sunlight and higher temperatures, making warmer months more prone to ozone formation. When air is stagnant, pollutants don’t get dispersed, allowing ozone to build up to unhealthy levels.”
What Happens Next
The alerts in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky are currently set to remain in force until midnight on Wednesday. The alert in Minnesota is set to continue until 11 p.m. CDT on Friday.
The NWS publishes regular air quality updates on its website.