An air quality alert is in effect Monday for a second straight day in Bloomington-Normal and most of Illinois, as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts into the U.S.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has issued another Areawide Air Pollution Action Day for Monday. The current and main concern is smoke/particulates at levels that are negatively impacting air quality across McLean County and other parts of Illinois, according to the Illinois EPA.
McLean County's air quality was classified as Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups as of Monday morning, according to AirNow.gov. The general public can enjoy their outdoor activities, but people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should take any of these steps to reduce their exposure:
- 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.
Updates from Sunday
Canadian wildfire smoke has caused air pollution to spread across much of the northern U.S., including Illinois. A dusty haze was visible Sunday in Bloomington-Normal.
The Normal nonprofit Ecology Action Center [EAC], which operates air quality monitors in the Twin Cities, said the air quality index in Fairview Park was 276 on Sunday morning. Readings above 200 are considered "very unhealthy," and may negatively impact all populations, not just sensitive groups.
The NWS recommends reducing long or intense outdoor activities and advises taking breaks. EAC, however, recommends avoiding outdoors altogether. If residents must go outdoors, EAC said in a social media post, an N-95 mask is recommended. Surgical or cloth masks do not provide protection against particulate matter in air pollution.
A noon protest organized by the Bloomington-Normal 50501 group was canceled due to the conditions, as was the Sunday evening performance at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.
