Pennsylvania’s Dept. of Enviornmental Protection has issued a Code Purple Air Quality Alert for all of Pennsylvania for Friday.
A Code Purple Alert is issued when air quality indicators signal very unhealthy conditions outdoors.
Under a Code Purple Alert, everyone is encouraged to avoid long or intense outdoor activities. Sensitive groups, like children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart illnesses should avoid all outdoor activities.
Any planned outdoor activities should be moved indoors, DEP says.
Businesses in a Code Purple area are being asked to avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment, avoid using wood stoves or fireplaces, and not to burn leaves, trash, or other materials.
A Code Red Alert was in place for Schuylkill County on Thursday as Pennsylvania was veiled with smoke from wildfires in Ontario, Canada, and Minnesota, according to DEP. Some locations – namely Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties – were under a Code Purple Alert on Thursday.
For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles, visit
airnow.gov, and aqpartners.state.pa.us.
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