Weather

Wildfire Smoke To Cause Air Quality Problems Wednesday In Bucks, Hunterdon Counties

The advisory for fine particulate matter will be in place Wednesday.

The smoke-covered sun setting from Tyler State Park in Newtown Township.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewHopeFreePress.com

Officials are again warning that wildfire smoke from Quebec will impact the area on Wednesday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter on Wednesday. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued an Air Quality Action Day for the same reasons as Pennsylvania authorities.

Both sates issued similar alerts for Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania advisory for fine particulate matter will be in place in Bucks, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia counties in southeastern Pennsylvania, while the New Jersey alert will be for the entire state.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the smoke caused by wildfires in eastern Canada is expected to contribute to higher concentrations of fine particulate matter on Wednesday, placing the air quality in the Code Orange range.

An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the air quality index is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher.

During an Air Quality Action Day, individuals most susceptible to the effects of air pollution, such as young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions like asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are urged to limit their outdoor activities, officials said.

Residents and businesses located within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by refraining from open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials. Additionally, the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment should be avoided.

A smoky haze began to fill the local sky Monday evening through Tuesday. There were reports that the smell of smoke could be detected in some areas.

Air quality alerts impacting millions of people have been issued in 17 states.

Weather observation account Capital Weather Gang, which is operated by The Washington Post, noted the air quality in Detroit, New York, and Toronto is ranked among the worst in the world due to the smoke.

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center noted that Bucks County and Hunterdon County are among the places at risk for fires that could develop and get out of control if dry thunderstorms pop up over the coming days.

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