Three Rivers, MI Severe Weather Alertstar_ratehome

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FRIDAY NIGHT...

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
(EGLE) has declared an Air Quality Alert for Thursday and Friday,
July 16 and 17, for elevated levels of fine particulate due to
wildfire smoke. Pollutants within those areas are expected to be in
the Hazardous range.

The Air Quality Alert is in effect for the following counties in
southwest Michigan...

Berrien, Cass, St Joseph, Branch, and Hillsdale.

Plumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires continue to drift across
the region. Elevated fine particulate due to the smoke will continue
through Friday.

Everyone should seek cleaner air indoors and keep activity levels
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: burning
candles, 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 respirator
should fit tightly, collapse as you breathe in and not let air in
from the sides.
- Do not use masks for children under age 2.

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.

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