Full Notification

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has issued an Air Quality Alert for Friday July 17 and Saturday July 18, for elevated levels of fine particulate due to wildfire smoke. Concentrations on Friday will range from Very Unhealthy in southern areas to Hazardous in the north. On Saturday concentrations will range from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) in the south to Very Unhealthy in northern portions of the state. This is a Statewide Air Quality Alert. Plumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires continue to drift across the region. Elevated fine particulate due to the smoke will continue through Saturday. The threat of increased ozone may come into play Saturday as well. It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory diseases like asthma. Monitor for symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat, and eyes. Everyone should seek cleaner air indoors and keep activity low. While indoors, take action to improve the indoor air quality such as: - Closing windows and minimize opening of doors. - If HVAC systems are not equipped with MERV-13 filters or higher,use portable air cleaners. - Avoid activities that make indoor air quality worse: burningcandles, using vacuums without a HEPA filter, using gas stoves more than necessary, smoking, spraying aerosol products. If you must be outdoors for short periods of time: - Wear an N95 or P100 respirator marked with "NIOSH." The respiratorshould fit tightly, collapse as you breathe in and not let air in from the sides. - Do not use masks for children under age of 2. For up-to-date air quality data for Michigan visit the MiAir site: Michigan.gov/MiAir For up-to-date air quality data nationally visit EPA's Air Now site: AirNow.gov For further health information, please see MDHHS's Wildfire Smoke and You Health site: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-prev/environmental- health/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke

* AFFECTED AREAS: CASS ... ST. JOSEPH ... BRANCH ... HILLSDALE ... NORTHERN BERRIEN ... SOUTHERN BERRIEN