Code Purple air quality alert issued in Pennsylvania for Friday, July 17: What we know

PHILADELPHIA - The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a statewide Code Purple Air Quality Alert for particulate matter (PM2.5) for Friday, July 17, due to wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota.

Statewide air quality alert issued for Friday

What we know:

The DEP says wildfire smoke will blanket Pennsylvania on Friday, creating Code Purple concentrations of PM2.5. This means air quality will be unhealthy for everyone, not just sensitive groups.

All residents are encouraged to avoid long or intense outdoor activities, and sensitive groups such as children, elderly residents, and those with respiratory illnesses should avoid all outdoor activities. The DEP also encourages everyone to move activities indoors.

The DEP recommends checking www.airnow.gov for real-time air quality updates, as local conditions may be more severe (Code Maroon) or less severe (Code Red or Code Orange) depending on your location.

How to help reduce air pollution

The DEP says residents and businesses can help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment and not burning leaves, trash, or other materials outdoors.

According to the DEP, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index uses color codes to report daily air quality: Green for good, Yellow for moderate, Orange for unhealthy for sensitive groups, and Red for unhealthy for all. Code Purple is even more severe, and an Air Quality Alert is declared when the forecast is Code Orange or higher.

The DEP urges everyone to make informed decisions about outdoor activity based on the latest conditions.

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear how long the Code Purple conditions will last beyond Friday or if additional alerts will be issued for the weekend.

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