Air quality alert issued for Raleigh-Durham area as ozone prompts a ‘Code Orange’
The state issued an air quality warning Saturday morning for potentially unhealthy conditions in the Triangle through Saturday evening.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources issued the Code Orange alert effective until 8 p.m. because ground level ozone concentrations may approach or exceed unhealthy standards.
The alert area covers Person, Granville, Orange, Durham, Chatham, Wake, Johnston and Stanly counties.
The state is citing significant amounts of ozone mixing with surface level smoke for the alert. A wildfire estimated to cover 11,500 acres is blazing in Brunswick County.
What to do on Code Orange Days
While it is still OK for people in Code Orange areas to go outside, they should limit their time and take breaks, the DEQ recommends.
The American Lung Association recommends people especially avoid going outside near cities, where ozone and emission levels tend to be higher. It also suggests people consider reducing their own emissions by using less energy inside their homes.
Earlier this month, the Triangle experienced several Code Red air quality days due to smoke coming from wildfires in Canada.
This story was originally published June 17, 2023 at 10:33 AM.
