Air quality deteriorates to code purple
The air quality in northwest Pennsylvania has further deteriorated to code purple Thursday afternoon, July 16, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced at 1:12 p.m.
Code purple signifies the air contains a “very unhealthy concentration” of particulate matter, which is formed by a combination of particles from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota and droplets in the air.
The department recommends those with respiratory conditions, the older adults and young children avoid the outdoors entirely. Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
The alert is in effect for Butler, Mercer, Lawrence, Venango, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, McKean and Warren counties.
The department said the smoke is creating air quality concentrations of PM2.5, which means fine inhalable particles of particulate matter with diameters of 2.5 micrometers and smaller unhealthy to all groups may be in the air.
The particulate matter forms from a mixture of solid particles from the wildfires and liquid droplets in the air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It explained relative to 2.5 micrometers, the average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter, which means the hair is about 30 times larger than the finest particles in the air.
The agency said fine particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest risk to health as the particles are inhaled deep into the lungs, sometimes entering the bloodstream.
Residents can help reduce pollution by avoiding burning and gas-powered equipment.
The department recommends checking airnow.gov to view the current air quality.
