Nick McWilliams reporting – With wildfires still burning in Canada sending smoke and ash southward to the United States, officials are offering warnings about the air quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency issued updates on air status through the Air Quality Index, which forecasts a designation as unhealthy for sensitive groups in New Philadelphia Thursday.
Sensitive groups include elderly individuals, those with chronic respiratory issues, and children under 14, according to the EPA website.
Those groups are advised to limit outdoor activity, and for the general public, they’re urged to go indoors if they experience symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing, and shortness of breath.
The current designation is expected to remain through the day, and will likely dissipate with more fires contained and winds and pressure systems moving the dirty air out of the area.
Residents can wear high-quality masks to limit breathing in particles in the air while outside.
For updates, visit www.airnow.gov.
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