Air Quality Alert Issued; Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - Update

On Saturday, July 1, 2023 and Sunday, July 2, 2023, the Air Quality Index in Cambridge is at a level deemed “Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups”. At this level, EPA makes the following recommendations:

People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens are encouraged to:

• Choose less strenuous activities.

• Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.

Local air pollution, like the weather, can change from day to day. Smoke from wildfires in Canada continues to affect air quality in the United States. Although the worst impacts have been seen outside of Eastern Massachusetts, we are experiencing occasional days in Cambridge where the air quality is compromised. Poor air quality can negatively affect health, especially for people with certain medical conditions, including asthma and heart disease. As a result, people are encouraged to take precautions and limit some outdoor activities as pollution in the air increases.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPS) developed the Air Quality Index, or AQI, to make information available about local air quality. Residents can check current air quality and available forecasts by visiting the EPA’s site www.AirNow.gov and entering their zip code.

The EPA’s AQI rates the air quality using six levels, ranging from Good to Hazardous. More information about this rating scale and recommendations for activity at each level can be found here: https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/.

At this time, we do not anticipate a prolonged period of unhealthy air quality in the region. The City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Public Health Department will be monitoring the situation and will continue to make information available to the public.