Air quality warning issued for Lehigh Valley

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a poor air quality warning due to ozone pollution. The warning is in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday and covers the Lehigh Valley and Berks County.

Officials said the Code Orange air quality warning was issued Tuesday morning because ozone concentrations in the region may be reaching or exceeding health-threatening limits. Similar warnings were issued last summer when air quality across the region plummeted due to smoke from Canadian wildfires in the atmosphere.

For more information on air quality and ozone pollution, visit AirNow.Gov. Around noon, the website reported that air pollution in the Bethlehem area was moderate, but would increase throughout the day to unhealthy levels for sensitive individuals. Those most likely to be affected by poor air quality are people with lung disease, children, older adults and people who are active outdoors for six or more hours a day. People in these groups should consider reducing the time they spend outdoors and engaging in less strenuous outdoor activities.

This local news report was reported with the assistance of generative AI.