topic Re: Hazardous Air Warning in Community Chat

Hazardous Air Warning

CalminHeart — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:34:00 GMT

Our air quality has been at the very dangerous to hazardous levels this week. It has never been this bad here. Meteorologists say it'll be moving east soon.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

joannecha — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:55:15 GMT

I live in west Michigan, about 45 minutes from Lake Michigan. Yesterday, I thought it was very foggy when I looked outside but it turned out to be wildfire smoke. Our visibility was about a mile. You could even smell the smoke ( it was like lots of bonfires going on). Nasty. We had to go grocery shopping but stayed inside with doors and windows shut the rest of the day. I have no respiratory issues but was still coughing more than usual.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

Desertdi — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:57:36 GMT

High pollution, fire alert, low humidity and high winds where I live...and, of course, HEAT

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

CherryHugs — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 11:24:12 GMT

Was hoping not to have this after that other time recently. Have had the air warning since yesterday and is to go thru Friday. It is not just for lung issues, it is for everyone this time..They said those fires will take months to put out!

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

walker — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 11:33:44 GMT

Same here in the Chicago area. These problems from Canadian wildfires have been ongoing for awhile for different areas of USA. When it first happened over the eastern states I thought...wow, that is bad...what a shame..now we are living it here. I don't stay out for long. Hopefully, it will pass soon....if not, it might ruin a lot of July 4th plans. 🇺🇸

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

SilleeMee — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 11:39:15 GMT

It won't be getting any better in the coming years. You can expect to see more smokey skies from forest fires going forward. The climate is changing. More fires and more floods.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

Patriot3 — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:53:32 GMT

Please, everyone, go to airnow dot gov to find the air quality in your area. This is very helpful. Here in NW Ohio ours is 176 in the unhealthy range. I will keep checking it throughout the day. In the meantime, all windows shut!

Take care, everyone!

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

Roscoe the Rascal — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:55:08 GMT

Same here in Iowa. Looked so foggy yesterday and still that way this morning. Hot, very little rain and now this. Miserable summer weather wise so far.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

We rescue cats — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:03:32 GMT

We're back in unhealthy here in Western PA but heading to Very Unhealthy. Please all take care.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

CANDLEQUEEN — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:04:46 GMT

Same here in Southeastern Wisconsin. Very hazy and you can just smell the smoke in the air. I hope it gets better soon, feel bad for the elderly and people with breathing issues for sure.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

Snowpuppy — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:39:54 GMT

I'm in Northern MI and the air quality alerts are out again today.

I waited uhtil dusk last night to get gas and the smokey haze looked like a blanket of fog.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

deepwaterdotter — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:44:04 GMT

We are wearing masks when going outside in Wisconsin. Guess it's a good thing I have a box on hand.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

ValuSkr — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:50:14 GMT

@Patriot3 Thank you, that's a good website. (AirNow.gov)

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

Ladybug724 — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:15:19 GMT

It smells like burning plastic or something like chemicals, but it doesn't smell like wood burning. Air quality here is at the Very Unhealthy status, unsafe for all, not just sensitive groups.

Again, it doesn't smell like burning wood. Smells like burning plastic or some kind of chemical. A lot of people are saying that.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

Kachina624 — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 17:39:38 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
It won't be getting any better in the coming years. You can expect to see more smokey skies from forest fires going forward. The climate is changing. More fires and more floods.

@SilleeMee Exactly. There are 300 wildfires burning in Canada. It can take 2-3 months to extinguish one big fire. We'll continue to get smoke when the wind direction brings it in, off and on, for months, probably until the snow flies in the North.

As @SilleeMee says, it may be an on-going seasonal problem.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

SilleeMee — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 17:57:19 GMT

@Ladybug724 wrote:
It smells like burning plastic or something like chemicals, but it doesn't smell like wood burning. Air quality here is at the Very Unhealthy status, unsafe for all, not just sensitive groups.
Again, it doesn't smell like burning wood. Smells like burning plastic or some kind of chemical. A lot of people are saying that.

I was wondering the same thing so I googled it and found this. It doesn't look good.

"Why does the wildfire smoke smell like burning plastic?"

"The VOC's (volatile organic compounds) from the wildfire smoke interacts with the UV radiation to create benzene and formaldehyde compounds in the atmosphere. These are toxic air pollutants that can have very adverse effects on human and animal health – and they happen to smell like burning plastic."

@Ladybug724

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

chlema — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:04:21 GMT

@walker wrote:
Same here in the Chicago area. These problems from Canadian wildfires have been ongoing for awhile for different areas of USA. When it first happened over the eastern states I thought...wow, that is bad...what a shame..now we are living it here. I don't stay out for long. Hopefully, it will pass soon....if not, it might ruin a lot of July 4th plans. 🇺🇸

I was watching the Phillies/Cubs game last night and wondered why it looked so foggy. After the game (sorry, go Phils!) they asked one of the outfielders if it was a problem, he said, yes, at first, then you get used to it. I imagine the smoke will once again reach us in north Delaware.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

Puppy Lips — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:16:49 GMT

Taking a pre planned trip to Ohio this weekend. We are driving from FL. Hope all that smoke and haze are gone soon.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

SilleeMee — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:44:57 GMT

Wearing masks can do some good but the real hazardous compounds (volatile organic compounds) emitted from smoke in the air passes right through most masks. Firefighters wear special masks which filter out VOCs.

Re: Hazardous Air Warning

RetRN — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:54:05 GMT

It has been very bad in many places. I have noticed it gets much more coverage when the east coast is involved. In other areas it tends to be brushed over. I guess when the wealthy elite are involved it matters more.

When places like NYC or DC are in the thick of things the coverage is never-ending. Not so much when the south, southwest, or midwest are suffering.