Bad Air Quality In Region Again

Written by Alex Lloyd Gross, June 29, 2023


by Alex Lloyd Gross

June 29, 2023

If you have ventured outside you might have smelled something burning. Perhaps you see things through a haze.  It’s due to the massive wild fires burning in Canada and it’s making people sick. Those with respiratory problems  are urged to stay inside.  In Philadelphia, all public pools have closed.

The region is currently in a code red. Conditions will likely be worse in the morning as a natural weather phenomenon called an atmospheric inversion will keep smoke filled air closer to the surface and prevent air from higher elevations to mix with air closer to the ground. Residents are encouraged to check www.airnow.gov for current conditions in their area.

People are urged to use fans to circulate air inside their home, avoid any outdoor burning  and physical activity, officials said in an issued statement.

Air quality may vary throughout the city and throughout the day, with some areas having significantly worse quality depending on the prevailing winds.
All city summer camp programs have moved their activities indoors.

 

 

Fine particulate matter (or PM-2.5) comes in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals. Some are emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks, or fires. Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (called “precursors”), which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industries, and automobiles.