He said near surface smoke is measured and has not reached the point where he is aware of anyone being able to smell the smoke from the fires.
“No big safety concerns as the smoke isn’t being realized at the surface where you and I are breathing and living our lives,” Franks said.
He added the concentration of smoke particles is how we measure how much smoke there is in the air.
“Local agencies for air quality would issue an air quality advisory/alert if particle pollution was expected to exceed certain thresholds,” Franks said. “While we do have an air quality alert in the Dayton area today, this is because of the potential of ozone formation, not articulate matter such as smoke.”
The air quality via AirNow by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Monday’s Air Quality Index is considered moderate at around 60.
The Regional Air Pollution Control Agency, which covers air quality for Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Preble counties, has the AQI at a moderate 54 Monday.
On Tuesday, both agencies predicted that due to high temperatures the air quality will be unsafe for sensitive groups like young children, older adults and people with respiratory or cardiac illnesses, with increased amounts of ground-level ozone.
An Air Quality Alert has been issued for those said counties where levels of ozone within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards, according to the NWS.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) forecast by the RAPCA is 105 for Tuesday.
It is recommended to do the following to reduce ozone levels:
- Carpool, if possible, bike, walk or take the bus instead of driving alone.
- Refuel your vehicle after 8 pm.
- Do not idle your vehicle, exhaust contributes to air pollution.
- Mow your lawn in the evening hours and avoid the use of gas-powered lawn equipment.
In summer of 2023, smoke from wildfires in Canada drifted down to Ohio, Indiana, as well as parts of Illinois and West Virginia where air quality alerts were issued and air quality indexes were well over 100.
The RAPCA said the AQI focuses on health effects people may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air.
Readings between 100 and 150 are still “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” including those with many medical conditions. Any reading of 150 or higher is considered unhealthy for all.
Sunny skies and temperatures in the lower to mid-80s are on the forecast this week with a chance of rain showers towards the end of the week.
