In a study published this year focused on three counties in Southern California, they found that communities with higher proportions of Hispanic residents were exposed to greater particulate pollution than other communities. Learn more. Analysis by Ian Livingston. Why wildfire smoke is bad for your health. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. It caused a lot of discussion, Webster said. Maine air quality to remain good Thursday with low Cleaning Supplies and Household Chemicals, Health Professionals for Clean Air and Climate Action, State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues (SLATI), 2020 State of the Air Report Card for Maine Shows Contrast between Portland and Bangor Metro Areas, Freedom From Smoking Clinic, Las Vega, NV. In the Portland metro area ozone pollution continued to place the health of its residents at risk, including those who are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution such as older adults, children and those with a lung disease. The Allentown area of eastern Pennsylvania saw its AQI reach 309 (Code Maroon), one of the highest daily averages for smoke pollution on record in the United States. Despite fewer air-quality monitoring locations, a number of places have seen Code Red conditions on 10 or more days; one location near Grande Prairie in Alberta has logged 19 so far. Particle pollution can also cause lung cancer, and new research links air pollution to the development of serious diseases, such as asthma and dementia. It also can lead to cardiovascular problems. Air Quality Index and Your Health - Maine Western Wildfire Smoke Comes To Maine Skies, But No Air Quality Then, during June, two historically intense outbursts of smoke spilled over the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, while bouts of bad air also affected portions of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. David Ake). Twelve more states observed Code Red conditions, the next-most-polluted level. Webster explained that the low pressure system over Maine has been moving in a backward direction to the west pushing wildfire smoke away from the state. Copyright . This years report covers 2016, 2017 and 2018, the years with the most recent quality-assured data available collected by states, cities, counties, tribes and federal agencies. Research shows a roughly 42 percent increase in fine particulate pollutants known as PM 2.5, which are small enough to travel into our lungs and cause respiratory issues following July 4 firework displays. In the states metro areas, Bangor reported no unhealthy days. Then the smoke increased and headed south, becoming the years worst air quality event across the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley and parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. The number of cumulative days with compromised air quality matters. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires was so thick that it held up flights at major airports, and prompted some people to use pandemic-era face masks, the AP reported. July 5, 2023 at 3:26 p.m. EDT. Let's join together to end the youth vaping epidemic by supporting parents, schools and students. But there is a chance the smoke could move out to sea, swing north and recirculate back into Maine. Code Red or worse pollution is generally rare in most of the Lower 48, other than on the Fourth of July, when smoke from fireworks reduces air quality. The city saw four days reach at least Code Red during the month. Here are some things you can do to curb those effects. Current Air Quality Data - Maine Fireworks can make the smoke worse. Don't have a commenting profile? Bill Magavern, the policy director for the California nonprofit Coalition for Clean Air, acknowledges that almost everybody enjoys a good fireworks display, but the environmental impacts are becoming harder to ignore. You can get the latest updates by following me on social media: Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Importance of Air Quality Local air quality affects how you live and breathe. WebAnnual PM2.5 Level These data help summarize long-term trends in particle pollution concentrations. Learn More. Create one. On June 8, wildfire smoke from western Canada floated to the eastern United States and set records for the worst air quality on record some of the highest recorded values were around 250 micrograms per cubic meter. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event atLung.org/events. The site contains information such as a hotline 800-223-1196 that provides up-to-date air quality information, a frequently-asked-questions link, updated reports on ozone and particulate pollution, and a color-coded health effects legend that describes air quality warnings in detail. In a telephone interview Wednesday, Webster said she expects air quality to remain good throughout Maine on Thursday, but she was reluctant to look too far into the future. Particulate pollution consists of extremely small particles that contain toxic chemicals, and these particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream, causing repertory and cardiovascular problems.. Smog, or ground level ozone, produces inflammation similar to a sunburn in the lungs, causes respiratory problems from coughing and throat irritation to asthma and permanent damage to lung tissue, said Fenderson. "They were all saying how bad the smoke was. These satellite images from June 6, from top left, June 7, June 25, and June 27, 2023, show the wind movement from wildfire smoke in Quebec, Canada. Maine air quality to remain good Thursday with low pressure keeping wildfire smoke at bay, Where wildfire smoke is hitting the U.S. the hardest and when it will end, Maine warns of poor air quality caused by wildfires in Canada. Share your voice and advocate for policies that will save lives. WebGreen indicates values in the "good" range; yellow in the "moderate" range; orange in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" range; red in the "unhealthy" range, and purple in the "very Reporter. Air Quality and Health Information - Maine Additionally, 150,000 people in Bangor had 46 days with degraded air quality, and 107,000 people in Lewiston had 24 days. Indianapolis air quality. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires was so thick that it Mainers may have noticed the odor of smoke, hazy skies and reduced visibility. Air quality has reached record-low levels in the U.S. because of Canadian wildfire smoke. WebLocalized Air Quality Index and forecast for Mars Hill, ME. Smoke pollution contains fine particulate matter, referred to as PM2.5, which is considered especially harmful because it can be inhaled through your lungs and enter the bloodstream. So again this goes right back to cars.. Track air pollution now to help plan your day and make healthier lifestyle decisions. In Canada, six provinces observed Code Purple conditions, with five topping out at Code Maroon the most polluted level. We are keeping an eye on the situation so please check back in the coming days, Martha Webster, air quality meteorologist for the DEP, wrote in her daily report Wednesday morning. Heres why. Maine, ME Air Quality Index | AccuWeather The report found that Maines A grades were consistent with last years report, with the exception of Aroostook, which saw its grade drop from a B to a C, due to an increase of days where short-term particle pollution reached unhealthy levels. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. Read our simple and effective tips for protecting you and your family from the dangers of air pollution. Although this report does not cover data from 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of air pollution on lung health is of heightened concern. Health Impacts of Fine Particles in Air: Mortality Benefits Associated with Reducing PM 2.5 Concentration Levels You can share 5 more gift articles this month. AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Maine officials cautioned on Monday that air quality will be worse than typical in the early part of this week due to smoke from The air quality was so bad that Major League Baseball games in New York and Philadelphia had to be postponed. Houlton, ME Air Quality Index | AccuWeather Wildfire smoke to worsen air quality in Maine this week The American Lung Association is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Success. From the northern Plains to the Mid-Atlantic, a huge area has encountered multiple days with bad air quality because of smoke pollution. Click here to download. Research by Wu and her team also suggests that the differing policies mean fireworks pollution doesnt affect communities equally. Winds are expected to shift east pushing wildfire smoke into the interior Northeast and Ohio Valley on Friday. A wider look at the air quality map shows where the heavy smoke is concentrated, just to the north of Aroostook County. With so many fires in Quebec, that smoke will likely continue to be an issue for a while. WebWhy track air quality? Stauffer said the wildfire smoke on June 7 and June 8 produced pollution levels in cities traditionally only seen near the peak of July 4. Wildfires that have been raging out of control in Quebec and Ontario have led to smoke-filled skies along the U.S. East Coast and Midwest, but air quality in Maine remained good Wednesday and should stay that way for at least another day thanks to a low pressure system that has been keeping the smoke at bay. ", This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, which has been responsible for dramatic improvements in air quality. The American Lung Associations 2020 State of the Air report found that while air quality in Maine slightly improved across the state and in most reporting counties, there remains a an important contrast between the Bangor metro area, which continues to rank as one of the cleanest cities in the nation in all three categories within the report, and the Portland-Lewiston-South Portland metro area, which ranks in the top 100 most polluted cities for ozone. The smoke first invaded the Lower 48 states in May, producing unhealthy air in parts of the Rockies and Plains. In its Wednesday forecast, the National Weather Service predicted that unhealthy air quality levels will persist through Thursday in major metropolitan areas such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. In total, more than half of Maine residents experienced nearly a month or more of days with unclean air in 2016, an increase from previous years. Androscoggin County scored a top grade for ozone pollution. Rising temperatures lead to increased levels of ozone pollution. Webster said there is deep concern about air quality in places like New York City. Wildfires are bad for air quality. Fenderson said different types of pollution affect people in different ways. Mainers who are interested in finding out what the air quality levels are in their town or region they can visit theairnow website, a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Park Service, NASA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state air quality agencies. Decoding the Air Quality Index: Whats the difference between red, maroon? Join over 700,000 people who receive the latest news about lung health, including COVID-19, research, air quality, inspiring stories and resources. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) often issues air quality alerts and warnings when the temperatures increase, advising those with respiratory problems to stay indoors and take other precautions. Maine avoids harmful air quality from Canadian wildfires The National Weather Service in Maine says smoke from wildfires in Oregon, British Columbia, and Alberta is making its way to Maine. WebAt elevated particle pollution levels, children, healthy adults who exert themselves, and individuals suffering from a respiratory disease such as asthma, bronchitis or COPD can "One bad air day could be one bad air day too many for people with chronic lung disease, young children, elderly and people with cardiovascular disease, as well as people living in poverty" he says. Why is air quality bad in Ohio today? Canadian wildfires to blame Air Quality EPA Typically, warm rising air near the ground lifts pollution away, but during the winter the layer of warm air acts like a lid, keeping cold air at the surface. In fact, everyday activities cause 90% of the air pollution in Oregon, like: Using toxic household products Thank you! N.Y., saw six days with Code Red or worse air quality. Webster also meets daily with other New England, New York and New Jersey weather forecasters and air quality experts to share information. The smoke pollution was extreme not only in those Canadian provinces but also in the northern and central Plains and Rockies in the United States. Fireworks also contain chemicals found in gasoline called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (commonly referred to as PAHs), which can cause cancer in high concentrations. Air Quality Index Air Quality in Toronto Is Among the Worst in the World It caused a lot of discussion," Webster said. The states that have seen the most Code Red or worse days are Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania. Link Copied! Portland also improved on ozone pollution, as did York County, which saw just a day and a half of unhealthy air per year, on average, over the three-year reporting period. Log in to join the discussion. Webster encouraged Mainers to pay close attention to the DEPs Air Quality Forecast site. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit:Lung.org. Published July 21, 2021 at 8:10 AM EDT. Check out the real-time air pollution map, for more than 100 countries. Webster said there is deep concern about air quality in places like New York City. In the east, Val dOr, a city of about 20,000 nearer the fires in Quebec, has witnessed 11 Code Red days. Ottawa has seen six code reds, Windsor four and Calgary three. Air Quality When levels reach above 100, air quality is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, and an air quality alert is issued. Christy Leavitt, senior campaign director for Environment America Research and Policy Center's Environmental Defense Campaign in Washington D.C., said the report is significant right now. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. Often the smoke is very high up in the atmosphere and it creates the hazy sun but the particulates don't make it to the surface.". As the fire season in Canada heads deeper into uncharted territory, burning more land than in any year on record, it continues to generate excessive amounts of smoke, polluting the air in both Canada and the United States.

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