Air quality: alerts for 100 million Americans

More than 100 million Americans were affected by air quality alerts on Wednesday due to smoke from fires in Canada, the protection agency told AFP (EPA).

These alerts cover most of the northeastern United States, from Chicago in the north to Atlanta in the south. Air quality in this area “is primarily impacted by Canadian fires, although other local pollution emissions and weather may also play a role,” the EPA said.

The populations concerned are under an “orange” alert, corresponding to a possible impact on the health of fragile people (elderly people, asthmatics, children, etc.), or an alert of a higher level.< /p>

Many major cities, such as New York and Washington, were affected by a red alert on Wednesday, a level at which the general population can also feel the effects on their health – effects then aggravated for the fragile.

The EPA is the agency responsible for monitoring air quality in the United States, and uses an index ranging from zero to 500. Between 0 and 50, air quality is considered to be Good. The orange alert corresponds to a level above 100.