Air quality warning in Massachusetts

People may have noticed the eerie orange sky and smoky look that was in the air on Wednesday, July 15. This was due to a wildfire in Canada sending smoke south. 

The state of Massachusetts put out an air quality control warning, stating that the air is unhealthy for those with heart and lung diseases. This is specifically due to the presence of small particles called PM2.5. These particles are smaller than 2.5 millimeters in diameter, which pose the greatest risk. 

According to airnow.gov/?, Dartmouth has an air quality rating of 151, as of 7 p.m. The rating goes from 0 being the best, with no particles, to 500 being the worst. 

At 150, the warning raises to "Unhealthy." This means some people may experience unhealthy effects while those in sensitive groups may experience more severe effects. 

The risk is expected to continue into tomorrow.

The government states that those with any heart or lung disease, teenagers, children and older adults should limit strenuous activity and time outside during air quality warnings.

Should the air quality become any worse, there could be risk of eye, skin and throat irritation as well as respiratory issues. Currently, this is not a concern. 

If the air quality does become worse, the Town of Dartmouth will be putting out a notice about the quality. They encourage residents to keep an eye on emails and their social media pages. 

During this, there is also a heat advisory in place, with temperatures expected to reach the mid-to-high 90°s. This advisory is in place until Wednesday evening at 8:00 p.m. 

There is an air quality warning in place until 12:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 16.  

Have photos of the sky? Send them to news@dartmouthweek.net.