Are the Canadian wildfires affecting air in Kentucky? See air quality info
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires is starting to diminish air quality levels in Kentucky.
Lexington had an air quality index of 96 at noon Friday, according to online data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The AQI is measured from 0-500, with higher numbers reflecting worse air quality.
An AQI of 96 puts Lexington just inside the yellow category of the EPA’s index, indicating there is “moderate” concern. The air quality is acceptable, but there may be risk for people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Air quality levels in Lexington have reached the orange section of the AQI at various moments throughout the week, including Friday morning. When the AQI is above 100, the EPA considers it “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” including people with heart and/or lung disease, older adults, children or pregnant people. Those groups are encouraged to limit outdoor activity, according to the EPA’s air quality website, AirNow.
The general public is less likely to be effected by an air quality index above 100, according to AirNow.
Since AQI levels have risen due to the Canadian wildfires, Lexington’s AQI peaked at 131 early Tuesday afternoon, according to AirNow. It briefly reached the same unhealthy region of the scale early Thursday morning before re-entering that section again at 3 a.m. Friday.
Louisville, Owensboro and Elizabethtown also had AQI readings over 100 as of 10 a.m. Friday morning, according to AirNow. By noon air levels in all locations in Kentucky had dropped below 100.
An air quality alert was issued by the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for all of Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The City of Louisville said fine particle pollution is expected to be at unhealthy levels due to smoke impacts from the Canadian wildfires.
The wildfires in Canada have been burning for more than six weeks, according to CBS News. It’s resulted in million of acres being destroyed and mass evacuations.
The wildfire is on pace to set a new record for the most destructive wildfire season in history, according to CBS News.
Several parts of the United States have already been subject to poor air quality from the wildfires’ smoke, including multiple majors cities in the northeast region. Racing at the Belmont Stakes in New York was canceled Thursday due to the air quality, but the track reopened on Friday.
Multiple Major League Baseball games were postponed this week,
Ways to stay healthy amid poor air quality
Aside from staying indoors, federal officials say there are other ways to limit poor air quality exposure when necessary, including:
- Leaving doors and windows fully closed.
- Not lighting candles or other devices that produce additional smoke.
- Running an air filter if you own one.
- Checking and replacing filters on devices, like your HVAC, in your home.
People who must be outside could also wear a respirator. The EPA says a N95 or P100 mask is recommended to reduce intake of poor air quality.
