Code Orange Air Quality Action Day declared for June 6th by PDEP due to continuing impact of the Canadian wildfire

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day due to fine particulate matter for Tuesday, June 6, 2023, for Montgomery County, along with Philadephia, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware counties. The issue is also expected to impact the Lehigh Valley-Berks and Susquehanna Valley areas.

According to the notice, smoke due to wildfires in eastern Canada will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range on Tuesday.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.