An air-quality alert was issued in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties Wednesday, and a Code Orange advisory is expected again Thursday as smoke from Canadian wildfires has moved south. The haze mixed with the warmer temperatures has caused ozone levels to elevate, which can lead to issues for people with respiratory conditions.
While the city was at a Code Orange at one point Wednesday, the level was reduced to a Code Yellow in the afternoon. It's expected to return Thursday to a Code Orange, which is when the air quality is "unhealthy for sensitive groups," according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
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"On air quality action days, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities," the agency said.
At Code Yellow, the air quality is acceptable but pollutants may be present, whereas those groups are warned at Code Orange.
"Even if the forecast is Orange … there may be times during the day when air quality is OK for outdoor activities," according to AirNow, a program with the federal Environmental Protection Agency. "Ozone is often lower in the morning. Check current air quality to see if now is a good time for you to be active outdoors."
The current levels are nowhere near as severe as they were in June 2023, when Philly had the poorest air quality of any major city in the world one night due to smokey skies caused by Canadian wildfires. That resulted in a Code Maroon, the most severe alert. Beyond Orange is Red (unhealthy), Purple (very unhealthy) and finally Maroon (hazardous).
It appears, however, that conditions will clear up heading into the weekend, with Friday and Saturday currently having Code Yellow designations. The state DEP suggested residents can help reduce pollution by "driving less, refueling after dusk and conserving electricity."
