Air Quality Story Archives - Page 2 of 4 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Air Monitoring In W.Va. Limited But Accurate

Air quality monitoring in the U.S. is often focused on cities and centers of population density, but rural areas like West Virginia keep people informed.

Since smoke from Canadian wildfires first descended on West Virginia in early June, residents have become accustomed to AirNow.gov, home of the U.S. Air Quality Index. The site provides up to date information and maps about where wildfire smoke and other pollutants are affecting air quality across the country.

However, often when a West Virginia zip code is entered directly into the search bar at the top of the page, the results can contradict measurements elsewhere on the site and user’s own observations.

Christina Fernandez is the Air and Radiation Division director for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region Three, which covers West Virginia, as well as Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

“When we talk about air quality, there are multiple pollutants,” she said. “We have what we call criteria pollutants, air pollutants, which are for example, particulate matter (PM), ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and lead. And then we have air toxics, we have thousands. We have standards and regulations to reduce these pollutants.”

Monitoring for all of these pollutants is ongoing, and each pollutant requires a different type of monitor. Fernandez said that one of the criteria for where to place monitors is population. For the monitoring of particulate matter, which is the primary pollutant being produced by the wildfires, the minimum population criteria is between 500,000 to one million people. On top of low population density, air quality in West Virginia is normally very good, and as a result the state only has 13 monitors that detect particulate matter.

“What’s happening is West Virginia is meeting the PM standard,” Fernandez said. “When a state or an area is meeting the standards, and they’re not under what we call a maintenance plan, the state can remove a monitor, it doesn’t have to have it.”

A screenshot of the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map taken Thursday afternoon shows the limited number of monitors in West Virginia compared to in larger cities in surrounding areas.

Renu Chakrabarty is the assistant director for the air monitoring laboratory and air toxics at the Division of Air Quality at the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. She said the DEP doesn’t just rely on its own monitors, and works with other departments and states to ensure complete, up-to-date information is available.

“We have a limited budget, and we have to allocate our resources appropriately,” she said. “What we’re looking at is based on what our monitors are actually reading and what monitors in nearby states and bordering areas are reading. We also look at some of the weather forecasts and see how the wind is kind of coming through and impacting.”

Chakrabarty said the incongruous results users may get is an artifact of the way the AirNow system defaults in searches, giving green results based on ozone readings.

“What we are advising folks to do is use the AirNow website, but make sure that you’re using the contours feature from the interactive maps page,” she said. “That will provide you a better picture of what’s going on.”

Chakrabarty advises that like the weather, air quality can change from hour to hour and recommends checking AirNow.gov before going outside.

National Weather Service Predicts Smoke Over W.Va. Could Dissipate, Temporarily

National Weather Service Meteorologist Jennifer Berryman said an expected shift in the air flow high up in the atmosphere could temporarily cause the smoke to dissipate in time for the July Fourth weekend.

With Canadian wildfires affecting air quality levels throughout much of the state, many people are wondering about the wisdom of spending time outdoors over the holiday weekend.

The National Weather Service said a predicted change in weather patterns could temporarily dissipate some of the smoky haze affecting the state as we head into the early part of the weekend.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Jennifer Berryman said an expected shift in the air flow high up in the atmosphere could cause the smoke to dissipate in time for the July 4 weekend.

“We’ve been seeing a flow from the northwest that’s been transporting the smoke down from Canada into our area,” Berryman said. “Once we get into the weekend we are looking at more of a westerly flow — potentially sourcing that air from a different location that would lead to an improvement in conditions.”

Berryman said that while we may have a short break from poor air quality, she expects another shift in the weather pattern back to a northwest airstream.

As the wildfires continue to burn out of control in Canada the state can expect a return to hazy and smoky conditions by midweek.

To see the latest on air quality for your area, visit AirNow.gov.

Click here for information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on protecting yourself from wildfire smoke.

Smoky Air Calls For Health Precautions

With numerous West Virginia area air quality levels in the unhealthy range due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, medical experts are advising health precautions for both the general public and those at greater risk.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Updated on Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.

The particles that wildfire smoke produces are small enough to cause big problems according to Dr Sunil Sharma, the division chief for pulmonary critical care at West Virginia University. He said they are not allergens.

“These are so small particles that our body’s filters – the nasal hairs and others, are not able to filter them,” Sharma said. “They have the ability to go all the way deep into a respiratory symptom. They also have an ability, which we call a spillover, to go into our blood. These are not allergens. These are irritants that can cause inflammation inside your lungs. And that’s why they’re so dangerous. Imagine people who already have lung problems.”

Sharma noted that West Virginia has the highest number of COPD patients in the U.S. He said this obstructive lung disease, a very fatal condition often caused by smoking, means people’s lungs are already damaged and inflamed. He said any extra inflammation can tip them over, causing increased hospitalization and emergency room visits.

“The small particulates, when you’re exposed to these and they spill into your blood, can cause heart attacks, “Sharma said. “You see increased rates of heart attacks during these periods of acute exposure to these very small particulates.”

Sharma said the air quality in Morgantown Thursday registered above 215 on the Air Quality Index — a level he said is very severe, offering comparison.

“Anytime you’re above 200 it’s almost equal to smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day,” Sharma said. “You can imagine that if people are susceptible in the areas that are already inflamed, and you light up one cigarette after the other, by the end of half a pack a day, your lungs would be severely inflamed. You would definitely be looking at some kind of an exacerbation in your underlying disease.”

Sharma suggests if the air quality is severe, people who are susceptible should consider enjoying the indoors, people who work outside should limit their hours and all should avoid – or limit – outdoor exertional activity.

“Anytime you do a very exertional activity, you have to take very deep breaths,” Sharma said. “That means that many of these particles can go very deep down inside your lungs and settle in your alveoli or have a spillover effect. So if you’re jogging, turn it into walking. If you are spending four hours outdoors, spend only two hours.”

Original Story

Dr. Michael Kilkenny, CEO and health officer for the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, said this wildfire smoke contains a number of hazardous small particles and chemical contaminants.

“You’re having air quality that is not only going to potentially cause problems for people who have underlying conditions like asthma or COPD,” Kilkenny said. “It’s also going to be unpleasant for some members of the general public who may just find themselves getting a little bit congested or coughing from it.”

Kilkenny said there are short-term and long-term effects in terms of people at risk.

“People are at risk of having a short-term reaction to this,” Kilkenny said. “Like coughing, shortness of breath, nasal congestion or allergy symptoms – those that are going outside and feeling worse, would be those people who are more elderly and who have respiratory or even a chronic cardiovascular disease. It can be hard for people with asthma and younger people, especially infants.”

Kilkenny suggested those with lung disease or sensitivities to stay inside and set your air conditioning on recirculation mode to lessen bringing these outside smoke particles into your living quarters.

He said the general public should use common sense.

“Don’t be doing really strenuous exercise or long-term working outdoors in this environment if you can help it,” he said. “The harder you’re breathing, the more you’re going to breathe this. If you are outside, you want to avoid really strenuous work, exercising. Today might not be a good day for you to go for a run outside.”

Kilkenny said if you don’t have air conditioning, he recommends avoiding strong exposure to this smoky air by not “getting really worked up and breathing hard.”

He said there’s also the potential for long-term effects as very small smoke particles get deep into the lungs and become a risk for long-term health issues.

“Something that we’re going to worry about, oh well, I was out for an hour today,” he said. “But in terms of how many times in my life, am I going to be exposed to this, for how many days – then we’re talking about trying to keep young children from really getting a lot of exposure to this kind of smoke. Parents should watch after the long-term effect on their children as far as how much they’re exposed to this.”

Air Quality Alerts Continue And Teachers Gather To Talk Student Literacy On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, hundreds of southern West Virginia teachers are gathered in Charleston this week, learning how to best improve student literacy. Randy Yohe reports on implementing the “Ready Read Write” initiative.

On this West Virginia Morning, hundreds of southern West Virginia teachers are gathered in Charleston this week, learning how to best improve student literacy. Randy Yohe reports on implementing the “Ready Read Write” initiative.

Also, in this show, officials have issued alerts about air quality issues in West Virginia. Eric Douglas has more.

The Putnam County Commission approved an ordinance Tuesday that could restrict drag shows. Curtis Tate has more.

And with the July 4 holiday approaching, officials are asking the public to rethink using fireworks. Delaney Wells has more.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and produced this episode.

Teresa Wills is our host.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Air Quality Alerts Issued For W.Va.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Division of Air Quality and the state Department of Health and Human Resources’ (DHHR) Bureau for Public Health (BPH) have issued a statewide Air Quality Advisory regarding smoke from Canada.

Fine particulate matter in smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to affect air quality in the eastern United States. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Division of Air Quality and the state Department of Health and Human Resources’ (DHHR) Bureau for Public Health (BPH) have issued a statewide Air Quality Advisory.

According to AirNow.gov, unofficial air monitors indicate counties in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle (Air Quality Index score of 201-300), the Morgantown-Clarksburg-Fairmont area (151-200), and the Charleston area (101-150) are currently the most impacted in the state.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

AQI scores in the 201-300 range (purple) indicate an increased risk of health effects for everyone.
Scores in the 151-200 range (red) indicate that some members of the general public may experience health effects and members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
Areas with scores in the 101-150 range (orange) will primarily impact those who are sensitive to air pollution.

The agencies suggest monitoring the AirNow website to see real time air quality data.

Residents in areas with poor air quality are encouraged to limit their time outdoors and avoid strenuous activities. N-95 masks can help reduce smoke inhalation and potential health risks.

More information about the AQI, including activity guides for when air quality reaches unhealthy levels, is available here.

Click here for information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on protecting yourself from wildfire smoke.

Smoky Haze Blanketing US And Canada Could Last Into The Weekend

With weather systems expected to hardly budge, the smoky blanket billowing across the U.S. and Canada from wildfires in Quebec and Nova Scotia should persist into Thursday and possibly the weekend.

NEW YORK (AP) — On air quality maps, purple signifies the worst of it. In reality, it’s a thick, hazardous haze that’s disrupting daily life for millions of people across the U.S. and Canada, blotting out skylines and turning skies orange.

And with weather systems expected to hardly budge, the smoky blanket billowing from wildfires in Quebec and Nova Scotia and sending plumes of fine particulate matter as far away as North Carolina and northern Europe should persist into Thursday and possibly the weekend.

That means at least another day, or more, of a dystopian-style detour that’s chased players from ballfields, actors from Broadway stages, delayed thousands of flights and sparked a resurgence in mask wearing and remote work — all while raising concerns about the health effects of prolonged exposure to such bad air.

The weather system that’s driving the great Canadian-American smoke out — a low-pressure system over Maine and Nova Scotia — “will probably be hanging around at least for the next few days,” U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey said.

“Conditions are likely to remain unhealthy, at least until the wind direction changes or the fires get put out,” Ramsey said. “Since the fires are raging — they’re really large — they’re probably going to continue for weeks. But it’s really just going be all about the wind shift.”

Across the eastern U.S., officials warned residents to stay inside and limit or avoid outdoor activities again Thursday, extending “Code Red” air quality alerts in some places for a third-straight day as forecasts showed winds continuing to push smoke-filled air south.

The smoke has moved over Greenland and Iceland since June 1, and was expected to reach Norway on Thursday, the Norwegian Climate and Environmental Research Institute said, but wasn’t expected to be a health concern.

In Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered schools to cancel outdoor recess, sports and field trips Thursday. In suburban Philadelphia, officials set up an emergency shelter so people living outside can take refuge from the haze.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state was making a million N95 masks — the kind prevalent at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — available at state facilities, including 400,000 in New York City. She also urged residents to stay put.

“You don’t need to go out and take a walk. You don’t need to push the baby in the stroller,” Hochul said Wednesday night. “This is not a safe time to do that.”

The message may be getting through. So far, officials said Wednesday, New York City has yet to see an uptick in 911 calls related to respiratory issues and cardiac arrests.

More than 400 blazes burning across Canada have left 20,000 people displaced. The U.S. has sent more than 600 firefighters and equipment to Canada. Other countries are also helping.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to President Joe Biden by phone on Wednesday. Trudeau’s office said he thanked Biden for his support and that both leaders “acknowledged the need to work together to address the devastating impacts of climate change.”

Canadian officials say this is shaping up to be the country’s worst wildfire season ever. It started early on drier-than-usual ground and accelerated quickly. Smoke from the blazes has been lapping into the U.S. since last month but intensified with recent fires in Quebec, where about 100 were considered out of control Wednesday.

“I can taste the air,” Dr. Ken Strumpf said in a Facebook post from Syracuse, New York, where the sky took on the colorful nickname of the local university: Orange.

The smoke was so thick in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, that office towers just across the Ottawa River were barely visible. In Toronto, Yili Ma said her hiking group canceled a planned hike this week, and she was forgoing the restaurant patios that are a beloved summer tradition in a nation known for hard winters.

“I put my mask away for over a year, and now I’m putting on my mask since yesterday,” Ma lamented.

Eastern Quebec got some rain Wednesday, but Montreal-based Environment Canada meteorologist Simon Legault said no significant rain is expected for days in the remote areas of central Quebec where the wildfires are more intense.

In the U.S., federal officials paused some flights bound Wednesday for New York’s LaGuardia Airport and slowed planes to Newark and Philadelphia because smoke was limiting visibility.

Major League Baseball’s Yankees and Phillies had their games postponed. On Broadway, “Hamilton” and “Camelot” canceled Wednesday performances and “Prima Facie” star Jodie Comer left a matinee after 10 minutes because of difficulty breathing. The show restarted with an understudy, show publicists said.

It was not to be at Central Park’s outdoor stage, either. Shakespeare in the Park canceled its Thursday and Friday performances of “Hamlet,” saying ’tis not nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of wretched air.

___

Gillies reported from Toronto.