Drifting smoke from the ongoing wildfires across Canada is creating curtains of haze and raising air quality concerns in Indiana. The state department of environmental management issued what it calls an air quality action day for much of Indiana today.
The air quality in Bloomington and several places around Indianapolis is being categorized as unhealthy or unhealthy for sensitive populations.
IDEM has issued an Air Quality Action Day for Tuesday, 06/27/2023, and Wednesday, 06/28/2023 throughout Indiana. More info: https://t.co/t6RJdcfVT3 #airquality #AQAD pic.twitter.com/H7bdUyB88L — Indiana Department of Environmental Management (@idemnews) June 27, 2023
Officials are urging young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors. IDEM says the smog in the air is composed of microscopic dust, soot, and liquid that settles deep into the lungs and cannot be easily exhaled.
During air quality action days IDEM asks Hoosiers – among other things - to combine errands, avoid siting at restaurant drive thru windows, grilling with propane instead of charcoal and turning off lights and setting your air conditioning on a higher setting.
IDEM said Tuesday that air monitor readings across the state were on the rise and would remain very high through at least the end of the day today.
Air quality alerts are in effect throughout the Great Lakes region, and in parts of the central and eastern United States.
Across Canada there are about 500 fires burning with more than half of them considered to be out of control.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
