Smoke from wildfires in Polk County is producing unhealthy air quality at the Code Red and Code Orange levels, and residents are urged to take precautions.
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is issuing a Code Red air quality action day alert for Polk County. Code Red means prolonged exposure to the air may be unhealthy for anyone. All residents should consider limiting prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. Anyone sensitive to air pollution, including children, older adults and people with asthma, should avoid outdoor exertion.
Additionally, Rutherford County is under a Code Orange air quality action day alert, which signifies air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Children, older adults and people with asthma should limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors during Code Orange conditions.
These alerts are in effect now through midnight Saturday night. DAQ will continue to monitor the conditions and may modify or extend the alerts over the weekend. For the latest air quality information, visit the Air Quality Portal. DAQ meteorologists will issue the next day’s air quality forecast by 3 p.m. each day.
Satellite imagery shows significant smoke being emitted in Polk County from the Fish Hook, Black Cove, and Deep Woods fires. Data indicated elevated levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in the area and worsening visibility. A strong inversion overnight Friday into Saturday has the potential to trap this air pollution.
Smoke can carry elevated levels of PM2.5, which consists of particles smaller than the width of a human hair. These particles can reach deep in the lungs and aggravate asthma and other lung conditions and have been linked to heart conditions.
DEQ’s website has a list of resources for keeping safe around wildfire smoke.
Additionally, state law prohibits the open burning of yard waste or land clearing debris on Air Quality Action Days of Code Orange or above. To report violations of the open burning rules, contact the DAQ regional office that serves your county. This restriction is in addition to any local or state burn bans. The N.C. Forest Service on Thursday issued a burn ban for all of North Carolina.
If you need this information in Spanish or another language, please call 919-707-8446 or send an email to Shawn.Taylor@deq.nc.gov. Information about the Air Quality Index in Spanish is available from the EPA.