Update: PA DEP Declares Air Quality Action Day to Code Red for Wednesday, June 7th, 2023

Released: June 7, 2023

Due to the smoke and haze from the wildfires in Canada, the PA DEP has upgraded the Air Quality Action Day Declaration to Code Red Status for Wednesday, June 7th, 202, to Code Red for Delaware County. The declaration of Code Red means that air quality is unhealthy. Some members of the general public may experience health effects, and members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Sensitive groups should avoid long or intense outdoor activities, and consider rescheduling or moving activities indoors. Everyone else should reduce long or intense activities, and take more breaks during outdoor activities.

Children, including teenagers, are at higher risk because they often play outdoors in warmer weather, they are more likely to have asthma and their lungs are still developing.

Older adults may be more affected by ozone exposure, possibly because they are more likely to have pre-existing lung disease.

Prolonged exertion. This means any outdoor activity that you will be doing intermittently for several hours and that makes you breathe slightly harder than normal. A good example of this is working in the yard for part of a day. When air quality is unhealthy, you can protect your health by reducing how much time you spend on this type of activity.

Heavy exertion. This means intense outdoor activities that cause you to breathe hard. When air quality is unhealthy, you can protect your health by reducing how much time you spend on this type of activity, or by substituting a less intense activity—for example, going for a walk instead of a jog. Be sure to reduce your activity level if you experience any unusual coughing, chest discomfort, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or unusual fatigue.

Note: The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has advised that some areas in Southeastern Pennsylvania could reach Code Purple conditions. Code Purple recommendations for sensitive groups: Avoid all physical activity outdoors. Reschedule to a time when air quality is better or move activities indoors. Everyone else: Avoid long or intense activities. Consider rescheduling or moving activities indoors.

Stay up to date via the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's Air Quality Partnership at www.airqualitypartnership.org. Residents can also check current air quality monitor readings here: https://fire.airnow.gov/.