CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With smoke from Canadian wildfires projected to hit the Mountain State heading into this weekend, the state Department of Environmental Protection wants residents to monitor air quality conditions.
Smoke may move into the region through Friday, according to the DEP. The agency uses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) and its six color-coded categories. The higher that an AQI value goes, more pollution is expected, which bring increased health concerns.
The DEP said Red (Unhealthy) and Purple (Very Unhealthy) AQI indexes are likely to pass through West Virginia, with an outside chance for Maroon (Hazardous) conditions for a brief time in some spots.
Wildfire smoke affects everyone, the DEP said, but especially vulnerable people such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with preexisting heart or lung conditions like asthma or COPD.
“If air quality worsens, federal health guidance recommends reducing time outdoors and limiting strenuous physical activity, particularly if air quality reaches the Unhealthy category or higher,” the WVDEP urged. “Individuals who experience symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, or difficulty breathing should move indoors and seek medical attention if symptoms become severe.”
The DEP advised concerned residents to stay up to date with the latest conditions at the EPA’s AirNow website or on the AirNow mobile app.