Air Quality Alert…Smoke Coming From Georgia/North Carolina Wildfires

HUNTYSVILLE-The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has issued an air quality alert for Madison and Morgan Counties.

The alert is in effect through late Sunday night.

An air quality alert means that particulate matter concentrations are expected to reach levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups of people.

Children and people with asthma are at the highest risk under these conditions.

The air quality alert was prompted by thick areas of wildfire smoke blowing in from Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Heavy pockets of smoke have been reported in DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall and Morgan Counties Sunday.

AIR QUALITY ALERT MESSAGE
ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
242 PM CST SUN NOV 13 2016

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOR HUNTSVILLE AND
DECATUR...

THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (ADEM) HAS ISSUED
AN AIR QUALITY ALERT FOR MADISON AND MORGAN COUNTIES, FOR SUNDAY,
NOVEMBER 13.

AN AIR QUALITY ALERT MEANS THAT PARTICULATE MATTER CONCENTRATIONS
ARE EXPECTED TO REACH LEVELS THAT ARE UNHEALTHFUL FOR SENSITIVE
GROUPS. CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA ARE AT THE HIGHEST RISK UNDER
THESE EXPECTED CONDITIONS.

ADEM RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS DURING AN AIR QUALITY ALERT
DAY:

CONSERVE ELECTRICITY AND SET YOUR AIR CONDITIONER AT A HIGHER
TEMPERATURE.

LIMIT DRIVING AND COMBINE ERRANDS.

USE THE BUS OR CAR POOL TO WORK.

AVOID USE OF GASOLINE POWER LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT.

REFUEL CARS AND TRUCKS AFTER 6 PM.

LIMIT ENGINE IDLING.

USE HOUSEHOLD, WORKSHOP, AND GARDEN CHEMICALS IN WAYS THAT KEEP
EVAPORATION TO A MINIMUM, OR TRY TO AVOID THEM WHEN POOR AIR QUALITY
IS FORECAST.

IF BREATHING BECOMES DIFFICULT, MOVE INDOORS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO ON AN AIR QUALITY ALERT DAY,
VISIT THE ADEM WEBSITE AT WWW.ADEM.STATE.AL.US, AND CLICK ON AIR
QUALITY FORECAST. YOU CAN ALSO VISIT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY AT AIRNOW.GOV.

Media Release/Alabama Department of Environmental Management