The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has issued an Air Quality Action Days (AQAD) on Thursday for all Indiana counties due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.
Air quality may continue to be impacted beyond Thursday. Hoosiers are encouraged to visit smogwatch.IN.gov to view current and forecasted conditions and subscribe to email alerts.
IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce PM2.5 by making changes to daily habits. You can:
- Avoid burning wood in fireplaces or wood-fired boilers and any other unnecessary fires
- Reminder: Indiana’s open burning laws make it illegal to burn trash and generally prohibit open burning, visit IN.gov/openburning for more information
- Reduce activity time outdoors to reduce unhealthy exposure to PM5 and avoid exercising near busy roads
- Combine errands into one trip
- Avoid using gasoline-powered snow removal equipment or gas-powered recreational vehicles
- Keep your engine tuned, and don’t let your engine idle (e.g., at a bank or restaurant drive-thru)
- Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the thermostat to 70 degrees or lower
PM2.5 is composed of microscopic dust, soot, and liquid that settles deep into the lungs and cannot be easily exhaled. Those people at risk are particularly vulnerable after several days of high PM2.5 exposure.
IDEM examines weather patterns and PM2.5 readings to make daily air quality forecasts. Air Quality Action Days generally occur when weather conditions such as light winds, snow cover, higher humidity, and lower atmospheric inversions trap pollutants close to the ground. To learn more about PM2.5 or sign up for air quality alerts, visit SmogWatch.IN.gov.