...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY FOR TODAY, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6... The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Today, Wednesday August 6, for elevated levels of fine particulates (PM2.5). Pollutants are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range. The alert is in effect for the following Michigan Counties, Roscommon, Charlevoix, Missaukee, Beaver Island and surrounding islands, Wexford, Manistee, Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island, Emmet, Iosco, Ogemaw, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Eastern Mackinac, Alcona, Western Mackinac, Montmorency, Southeast Chippewa, Otsego, Antrim, Central Chippewa, Leelanau, Western Chippewa, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Alpena, Oscoda, and Crawford. It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory diseases such as asthma. Monitor for symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat, and eyes. Reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices. Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or higher rated filters. For further information, please see EPA's Air Now site for up-to- date air quality data at https://www.airnow.gov For further health information, please see MDHHS' Wildfire Smoke and Your Health site at https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury- prev/environmental-health/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke.
