Western Wildfire Smoke Triggers Air Quality Action Day Across Indiana

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management issued a statewide Air Quality Action Day for Wednesday and Thursday.

Smoke from wildfires in the western United States and southern Canada, along with local weather conditions, have created the potential for unhealthy levels of fine airborne particles in every region of the state.

IDEM said residents can takes steps to avoid contributing to the poor air quaity and remain safe including: 

• Reduce activity time outdoors to reduce unhealthy exposure to the microscopic particles and avoid exercising near busy roads.
• Avoid burning wood and any other unnecessary fires (open burning is generally prohibited in Indiana)
• Combine errands into one trip.
• Avoid using gasoline-powered equipment or gas-powered recreational vehicles.
• Keep your engine tuned, and don’t let your engine idle (e.g., at a bank or restaurant drive-thru).
• Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the thermostat to 75 degrees or higher. 

READ MORE: The Western Wildfires Are Affecting People 3,000 Miles Away

IDEM issues Air Quality Action Days when ground level ozone pollution or fine particulate matter could build to unhealthy levels in the outdoor air. The state agency's meteorologists and air quality professionals from local metropolitan areas and neighboring states examine concentrations of the pollutants and weather conditions to issue the air quality forecasts.