Ohio EPA Extends Air Quality Advisory Through Thursday

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday extended its statewide Air Quality Advisory as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to adversely affect air quality.  

The U.S. Air Quality Index rated the air quality in the Youngstown area as “unhealthy” at noon Thursday. When the Ohio EPA issued its advisory Wednesday morning, air quality in the area was deemed “very unhealthy.” By early afternoon, it was updated to “unhealthy.”

The advisory is in effect through the end of the day. Real-time air quality can be viewed HERE.

Smoke from the wildfires has lowered curtains of haze on broad swaths of Canada and the United States, pushing into southern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, and moving into parts of West Virginia.

Canadian officials say it is the nation’s worst wildfire season ever and they expect air quality to remain a concern through the summer, as long as the fires continue.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pictured at top: Downtown Youngstown.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.