CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issued a statewide air quality advisory Wednesday afternoon because of smoke that has drifted south from wildfires burning across eastern Canada.
The air quality index is expected to be in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and “unhealthy,” ranges, according to the Ohio EPA. Local conditions can be checked by going to AirNow website.
The level of particulates should remain elevated through Thursday, according to the EPA.
Doctors from Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals said Wednesday that the air quality is getting so bad in Greater Cleveland because of the wildfire smoke that people should consider staying indoors.
The old and the young, as well as those with asthma or allergies, should stay indoors when the Air Quality Index exceeds 100, which was the case early Wednesday afternoon, said Dr. Maeve MacMurdo, a pulmonologist with Cleveland Clinic.
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When the index is above 150, which it was earlier in the day, she said anybody should avoid going outside if possible.
The primary danger from wildfire smoke is the fine particulate matter that isn’t filtered out by the nose and throat, said Dr. David Rosenberg, pulmonologist with University Hospitals. The fine particulates can get into the lungs and cause inflammation that exacerbates conditions such as asthma and COPD.
Healthy children are susceptible because their lungs are not fully developed, he said.
Rosenberg said particles of varying sizes in the smoke can cause irritated eyes, a runny nose or burning throat and that should be a warning that small particles could be getting into the lungs.
The wildfire haze that has been over New York City has been extraordinarily bad and is heading this way, he said. His advice is that people who have to go outside wear an N-95 mask. Those staying inside should close their windows and run their air conditioner.
MacMurdo recommends that people check the air quality index before venturing outside.
The Cleveland Department of Health Division of Air Quality issued a health alert later in the day on Wednesday, attributing the “elevated levels of fine particulate matter” in large part to wildfires in Canada and Michigan.
“The Cleveland area experienced a band of smoke come through early this morning resulting in ‘Unhealthy’ levels of air pollution,” the department stated. “CDPH anticipates more bands to come through the area over the next several days.”
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