Code Orange air quality alert declared for southwestern Pennsylvania on Thursday

PITTSBURGH — Southwestern Pennsylvania will be under a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone on Thursday.

Officials say hazy sunshine through low-level Canadian wildfire smoke, high temperatures and light southwest winds will produce significant ozone concentrations.

On air quality action days, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce ozone air pollution by:

Driving less by carpooling or using public transportation;
Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;
Limiting engine idling;
Refueling cars and trucks after dusk; and
Conserve electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature and turning off lights that are not in use.

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