Hazy skies in New Jersey as air quality remains unhealthy. Here are some tips to protect yourself
Officials strongly urged all sensitive individuals – including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly and the young – to stay safe and limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors.
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The air quality in New Jersey has reached an unhealthy zone, according to weather officials.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code red Air Quality Action Day for Fine Particulates until midnight Thursday. Levels of fine particulates will rise into the unhealthy range for sensitive groups statewide Wednesday and potentially extend into the evening hours due to wildfire smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
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Gov. Phil Murphy said his team is in close coordination with the state Department of Environmental Protection as it monitors the effects of the Canadian wildfires on air quality in New Jersey.
“Make no mistake, from the wildfires in Canada to those cropping up with increasing frequency and severity in our own backyard, these extreme weather events are tangible – and devastating – evidence of the intensifying climate crisis,” Murphy said.
Officials strongly urged all sensitive individuals – including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly and the young – to stay safe and limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors.
Here are some tips to protect yourself from the unhealthy air:
Minimize time outdoors. If you can, stay inside with the doors and windows closed.
Seek shelter elsewhere if you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside.
Wear a mask, preferably the N95.
Avoid exercising outdoors.
Keep windows closed in your vehicle. When running air conditioning in vehicles, make sure they’re set to recirculate, not pull in fresh air. This should help keep the smoke out of the vehicle.
Use a portable air cleaner to reduce indoor air pollution.
For additional air quality information in New Jersey, click here.
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