The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Code RED Air Quality Alert for all of western Pennsylvania due to widespread smoke impacting the state from forest fires across eastern Canada.

A Code RED Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region are unhealthy, and the general public may experience mild health effects. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors.

For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles, visit http://www.airnow.gov and https://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/AQPartnersWeb/

People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:

• Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
• Keep outdoor activities short.
• Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.

Everyone else – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:

• Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
• Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
• Be active outdoors when air quality is better.