Over the last month, the Lehigh Valley has experienced a variety of weather patterns from drought, brought on by lack of rain, to high temperatures to heavy rain and flooding to unhealthy air quality conditions.

On June 29, for the second time since the beginning of the month several states, including Pennsylvania, were placed under Code Red or Code Orange air quality alerts due to unhealthy levels of particulate matter in the air due to smoke coming from wildfires in Canada.

News media reports say hazy and smoky skies from the wildfires will likely continue to be a regular occurrence in much of the United States including the Lehigh Valley throughout the summer.

According to Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre as of June 29, there were 504 fires burning in Canada.

According to the National Weather Service, “Air quality affects the air we breathe. There are many factors that can lead to poor air quality, but the two most common are related to elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone or particulate matter.

“Particulate matter in the air consists of solid and liquid particles including smoke, dust, and other aerosols, some of which are directly emitted, and others are resulting from chemical transformations.

“The sources of these particles are numerous- including vehicles, factories, power plants, fires, other natural phenomena, and human activities.

“Particle pollution is linked to a number of health problems, including coughing, wheezing, reduced lung function, asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes and even early death.”

There are several recommended ways to protect oneself from the effects of the poor air quality:

·Avoid or limit strenuous activities, exercise or time spent outdoors;

·Wear an N95 or KN95 mask, if you do need to be outdoors; and

·Those who suffer from respiratory issues should remain indoors and keep the windows and doors closed, use the air conditioner and an air cleaner designed to reduce particles in the air.

If you do experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, dizziness or other health related issues due to the smoky conditions, seek medical help immediately.

If you know of a family member, neighbor, or an elderly person who has respiratory issues, remember to check in on them.

Stay safe this summer as Canada’s wildfires continue to burn.

To learn more about remaining safe, visit the American Lung Association or the Pennsylvania Department of Health websites.

Current air quality conditions may be checked by going to airnow.gov.

Susan Bryant

editorial assistant

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press