Charlotte air quality: Code Red as Canadian wildfire smoke is trapped by pressure
An increasingly familiar haze over Charlotte’s skyline again presents health risks to certain groups.
Smoke from the ongoing Canadian wildfires will cloak North Carolina west of Charlotte and through the Piedmont Triad region to the north for the next couple days, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.
High pressure was expected to trap smoke and pollution, dipping air quality levels into the Code Red range overnight Monday and Code Orange range Tuesday.
By Tuesday evening, a less-polluted pocket from the west is expected to push out the tainted air.
Code Red air quality levels can affect members of the general public and create more serious health effects for sensitive groups, such as those with asthma or heart disease. While it is still OK for people in Code Orange areas to go outside, they should limit their time and take breaks, the DEQ recommends.
The American Lung Association recommends people especially avoid going outside near cities, where ozone and emission levels tend to be higher. It also suggests people consider reducing their own emissions by using less energy inside their homes.
