Air Alert 26 June

Air Quality Watch in Effect The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing an air quality watch for 23 counties in the southeastern and south central Wisconsin effective tomorrow, Tuesday, June 26, 2007. The counties covered by this watch are Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Door, Fond du Lac, Green, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago.

The watch is being issued because of the forecast for elevated levels of ground level ozone or fine particles or both. Ozone concentrations will be of primary concern in counties near Lake Michigan. Ground level ozone is formed when pollution from power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust, and volatile organic compounds chemically reacts with hot temperatures, high humidity and atmospheric stagnation. Fine particles are microscopic dust, soot, liquid and smoke particles coming primarily from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust and wood fires or outdoor burning. Current weather conditions leading to this watch are a warm humid air mass that is forecast to intensify over the Lake Michigan region tomorrow with hot, hazy and stagnating weather conditions developing.

Air quality is forecast to reach levels considered unhealthy for people in sensitive groups and others (orange on the Air Quality Index). People in those sensitive groups include those with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, older adults, and active adults and children. When an air quality watch is issued, people in those groups are advised to reschedule or cut back on strenuous outside activities during the watch period.

People with lung diseases such as asthma and bronchitis, and heart disease should pay attention to cardiac symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath, or respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing and discomfort when taking a breath, and consult with their physician if they have concerns or are experiencing symptoms. Poor air quality can irritate the respiratory system, reduce lung function, aggravate asthma and chronic lung and heart diseases, and, over time, cause permanent lung damage.

There are several actions the public can take to reduce their contributions to this regional air quality problem.

Reduce driving when possible and don’t leave your vehicle’s engine idling.
Postpone filling your vehicle’s gas tank or using gas powered lawn maintenance equipment until late afternoon or evening.
Practice electrical energy conservation.

For current air quality readings in your area, call the Daily Air Hotline at: 1-866-DAILY AIR (1-866-324-5924). To receive air quality watches and advisories by e-mail: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/air/health/listserv.html.

For more information:
Federal interagency air quality web site, for information on the Air Quality Index, and nationwide air quality forecasts and air quality conditions, http://airnow.gov
DNR’s statewide air quality monitoring web page, http://maps.dnr.state.wi.us/imf/dnrimf.jsp?site=wisards
For local DNR air management program contacts, http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/air/staff/regions.htm