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 as 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 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.
