Wildfire smoke affects routine in Butler County
Once again, Butler County — and the rest of Pennsylvania — is under a Code Red Air Quality Action Day.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has made its way toward the sky over the commonwealth, leading the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to declare a Code Red alert for both Wednesday, June 28, and Thursday, June 29.
According to airnow.gov, concentrations of fine particulate matter — also known as PM 2.5 — were at a level of 180 in Butler as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, high enough to be classified “unhealthy.” Particulate levels were measured at 244 in Butler around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday and are expected to reach 196 Thursday.
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires first descended over Butler County on Tuesday, June 6, and touched off the month’s first Code Red air quality alert two days later.
However, according to meteorologist Bill Modzelewski of the National Weather Service’s Pittsburgh bureau, the smoke has descended to a lower level than earlier in the month, thanks to cooler air on the surface causing a temperature inversion, which prevents it from rising any higher.
“Today it’s down closer to the ground, so it’s causing more of a reduction in visibility and causing more of a campfire smoke smell in the air in some spots,” Modzelewski said.
Depending on the person, fine particulate matter can have devastating effects on the human body. Once breathed in, particulates can attack the respiratory system or even enter the bloodstream. For those already suffering from heart or lung ailments, prolonged exposure could lead to heart attacks, asthma attacks, bronchitis or other health emergencies.
Young children are particularly sensitive to the effects of breathing in fine particulate matter, and are considered one of the most vulnerable groups during Code Red Air Quality days.
Because of this, the Butler Family YMCA took no chances and kept children indoors on Wednesday for their day care and summer camp programs.
“Any time there’s bad weather, we have the gymnasiums here for the kids to have their gross motor time,” said Kelly Tennent, child care director at the YMCA. “We can bring (the children) into the gyms, and they can utilize our indoor pools.”
Tennent anticipates the YMCA will have to do this again if the air quality stays in the red.
The air quality also led to the cancellation of harness racing at the Big Butler Fair on Wednesday afternoon.
Young children are far from the only ones at risk from the poor air quality.
As people age, their bodies become less and less able to absorb the impact from breathing in particulate matter such as that which is wafting in from Canada. As such, the elderly are one of the groups considered most at risk during Code Red (or higher) Air Quality days.
“Many older individuals have heart disease, or they’ve had a stroke, or they have lung disease,” said Beth Herold, director of the Butler County Area Agency on Aging. “They may have COPD, they may have asthma, or they may have diabetes. All of these can lead to a more difficult time with their breathing or their handling of air pollution.”
At least one senior center in the area has had to alter its plans, according to Herold. The Chicora Senior Center was forced to move a scheduled senior picnic indoors.
According to Modzelewski, the only surefire way for the elderly to stay safe during Code Red days is to stay inside and reschedule any outdoor activities until the air quality improves.
“Just stick to indoor activities if possible when the air quality is as bad as it is right now,” Modzelewski said.
