Safety Report: Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter in Multiple Areas of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA

Pennsylvania, United States

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley-Berks, and Susquehanna Valley areas. An easterly wind is forecasted to transport smoke from a large wildfire in southern Nova Scotia that will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range on Wednesday.

- The Philadelphia Area, which includes the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia;
- The Lehigh Valley-Berks Area, which includes the counties of Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton
- The Susquehanna Valley Area, which includes the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality.
- Green signifies good air quality
- Yellow means moderate air quality
- Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people
- Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

The DEP advises residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:
• Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use;
• Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
• Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.

Source: www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/NewsRoomPublic/articleviewer.aspx