The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
has issued an Air Quality Alert for Wednesday July 15, for
elevated levels of fine particulates (PM2.5). Pollutants are
expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range, though
there is potential for Unhealthy levels.

The alert is in effect for all of northern Michigan. This includes
the following counties,

Roscommon, Charlevoix, Missaukee, Wexford, Beaver Island and
surrounding islands, Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island, Manistee,
Emmet, Iosco, Ogemaw, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Eastern Mackinac,
Alcona, Western Mackinac, Montmorency, Southeast Chippewa, Otsego,
Central Chippewa, Antrim, Western Chippewa, Arenac, Leelanau,
Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Alpena, Oscoda, Crawford, and
Gladwin.

It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor
activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory
diseases such as asthma. Watch for symptoms including wheezing,
coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat,
and eyes.

You can help reduce air pollution by limiting activities, such as
outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices.

Tips for households: Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke
from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning
with MERV-13 or higher rated filters.

For up-to-date air quality data for Michigan, visit the MiAir site:
https://michigan.gov/MiAir

For up-to-date air quality data nationally, visit EPA's Air Now
site: https://www.airnow.gov

For further health information, please see MDHHS' Wildfire Smoke and
Your Health site at https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-
prev/environmental-health/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke.