Air quality alert extended through Thursday; doctors advise residents to mask up

(WXYZ) — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has extended the air quality alert through Thursday.

The alert was first issued for Tuesday.

“We are experiencing a unique situation when it comes to air quality in Michigan,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services chief medical executive, in a press release. “Smoke from Canadian wildfires is affecting air quality across the state ranging from unhealthy for older and younger residents and those with underlying health conditions to unhealthy for all residents. We are urging Michiganders to check the Air Quality Index online regularly to determine if there are any actions they should take.”

The MDHHS has launched a hotline to answer health-related air quality questions. The number is 800-648-6942; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

YOU CAN CHECK THE CURRENT AIR QUALITY HERE

As the wildfires continue to burn across eastern Canada, Dayla Khuder decided to put on her mask outside to help filter out some of those harmful particles.

"The air quality is just really bad and I don't want that stuff in my lungs," Khuder said.

But why is the smoke settling in our area? Alec Kownacki, a meteorologist with the Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy, says a low-pressure system over Ontario is bringing the smoke toward Michigan.

"The smoke does not have the amount of time or distance to really disperse and get aloft in the upper atmosphere, so [it's] staying closer to the surface," meteorologist Kownacki said.

It's unclear how long the smoke will linger or take to clear out. It's typically a problem for the western side of the United States and an unusual one for Michigan.

Doctors say that have taken notice as patients have complained about the quality of air.

"They've been trickling in over the last several weeks," Dr. Devang Doshi a pulmonologist with Corewell Health said.

According to Doshi, the air quality is some of the worst he's personally ever seen from wildfire smoke.

"We're strongly advising people to avoid doing things they don't have to necessarily do outside and if they do have to go outside, using a N-95 to protect that airway from all that particulate matter," he said.

Those N-95 masks should be worn for long periods of time outside. You also want to keep your doors and windows closed and let your HVAC system filter it out.

Tips from the MDHHS are below.

During very unhealthy or hazardous for everyone air quality (purple to maroon Air Quality Index levels):

• Stay indoors with the doors and windows closed using MERV-13 or better air filtration.
  
  • Seek shelter elsewhere if you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed. Call or text 211 or contact your local health department to find out if there is a shelter or cooling center nearby.
  • Use air filters to improve indoor air quality. Whether you have a central air conditioning system or a portable room unit, use high efficiency filters to capture fine particles from smoke. If you don’t have access to those filter systems, you can create a temporary air purifier with a 2012 or newer box fan and attaching a MERV-13 or higher air filter to it. Information is available online. [lnks.gd]
• Keep activity levels low.
• Avoid outdoor activities.
• Use N95 style masks if you have to be outside.
  
  • Surgical and cloth masks are not recommended as they are not designed to prevent breathing in the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke.

During unhealthy for sensitive groups (AQI orange) to unhealthy for everyone air quality events (AQI red):

For people with heart or lung disease, pregnant people, older adults aged 65+, children and teens it is suggested to take the following steps to reduce exposure:

• Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
• Keep outdoor activities short.
• Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.

For everyone else:

• Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
• Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
• Be active outdoors when air quality is better.