Code Orange Air Quality Action Day Issued For Pittsburgh Area On Saturday

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day has been issued for several counties in the Pittsburgh area.

The Department of Environmental Protection issued the code orange for Saturday. It covers Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

The DEP says mostly sunny skies and high temps, which are associated with a strong area of high pressure, will likely push 8-hour average ozone concentrations into the code orange range. That means there's an unhealthy level of pollution in the air for sensitive groups of people.

"On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities," the DEP says.

Residents are encouraged to conserve electricity by setting the air conditioning to a higher temperature, limiting engine idling and refueling trucks and cars after dusk.