The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality is issuing a smoke advisory due to the potential for elevated levels of fine particulate matter in certain areas of town, particularly Tucson’s east side.
Although PDEQ’s air quality monitors do not show elevated levels of particulate matter, smoke from the Finger Rock wildfire in the Santa Catalina Mountains is visible, and breathable. If you can smell smoke, you are breathing it.
Individuals with heart disease and respiratory sensitivities may want to reduce their level of exertion to decrease the amount of particulates they breathe into their lungs.
Those most at risk should avoid outside exercise and stay inside as much as possible, keeping windows and doors closed to help reduce exposure to the smoke. Use air conditioning rather than evaporative cooling if possible. Those most sensitive to wildfire smoke might also consider seeking shelter elsewhere until the smoke subsides.
This advisory will be in effect as long as current conditions remain.
PDEQ monitors air pollution in our region at 18 air quality monitoring sites. Up-to-the-hour air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website
www.pima.gov/deq.
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