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Air is hazy again from the wildfire smoke
More smoke from the continued wildfires in Canada is reducing visibility and increasing concerns about air quality in the Carolinas.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Air quality in Charlotte Monday is “unhealthy for sensitive groups” as smoke from Canadian wildfires returns to the Carolinas.
Air quality data collected at Friendship Park, along Remount Road, and at Garinger High School has already reached over 100 on the AQI scale. These readings, which are referred to as “Code Orange,” makes the area “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Sensitive groups include, but are not limited to, individuals with respiratory-related health conditions, such as asthma and heart disease. It also includes the very young and elderly.
Air quality measurements near Ramblewood Park in south Charlotte are in the moderate, or “Code Yellow,” range with an AQI over 54.
In recent weeks, air quality has climbed to an AQI value of over 150, which is referred to as “Code Red.” While those conditions were not immediately measured Monday afternoon in Charlotte, they were being observed elsewhere in the Carolinas, including near Greensboro. Code Red conditions were also present in portions of the Northeast, Midwest, and Central Plains regions of the United States.
Those sensitive to air quality are advised to remain indoors with windows and doors closed. Using an air conditioner can help filter the air before it enters the home. Individuals are also encouraged to limit strenuous outdoor activities such as exercise.
Twice this year, Charlotte has experienced Code Red air quality conditions because of wildfire smoke from Canada. Before 2023, a Code Red had not been observed since wildfire smoke in western North Carolina blew into Charlotte in 2016.
Monday’s smoke was yet another example of how smoke can travel thousands of miles across North America. The smoke is carried by the jetstream, the same winds which move weather systems across the continent. Monday’s smoke was the result of low and high-pressure systems moving air from western Canada across the Midwest and into portions of the East Coast.
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Canadian officials say this is shaping up to be the nation’s worst wildfire season ever, the Associated Press reported. The season started early on drier-than-usual ground and accelerated very quickly, exhausting firefighting resources across the country, fire and environmental officials said.
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