By Laura Bailey
Two aerial photos comparing the skies over Bristol on May 25 to those of today make clear, no pun intended (or maybe a little), what the effects of wildfires raging across the Quebec and Ontario provinces of Canada are having here, engulfing Bristol in a hazy cloud of smoke and sending the air quality index into the unhealthy range.
Since Monday night, residents have experienced periods of reduced visibility and smoke odors throughout the day. An air quality alert remains in effect today for Bristol until midnight.
The Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security estimates that the highest concentration of smoke is expected to stay through Thursday morning, with lower concentrations of smoke lingering throughout the day.
“Exposure to elevated fine particle pollution levels can affect both your lungs and heart which may cause breathing problems, aggravate asthma, and other pre-existing lung diseases,” the Environmental Protection Agency states in a recent press release.
“When particulate matter levels are elevated, people should refrain from strenuous outdoor activity, especially sensitive populations such as children and adults with respiratory problems.”
The current local air quality index (AQI) is 161, placing Bristol into the “unhealthy” range due to the presence of particle matter approximately 2.5 micrometers and smaller (PM2.5) in the air.
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@thebristoledition.org
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