SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air Alert for Thursday, Oct. 19. The alert is the seventh such alert issued this year.
Air quality for Thursday is forecast to be unhealthy, according to a statement from BAAQMD. High pressure over the region is expected to produce light offshore winds coupled with high temperatures.
Thursday’s conditions coupled with motor vehicle exhaust will produce “unhealthy ozone levels,” according to the BAAQMD.
The BAAQMD issues Spare the Air Alerts when ozone pollution is forecast to reach unhealthy levels. Ozone can cause conditions that include:
- Throat irritation
- Congestion
- Chest pain
- Asthma
- Inflamed lining of the lungs
- Worsened bronchitis and emphysema
Long-term exposure to ozone can also reduce lung function, the BAAQMD said. Ozone exposure can be particularly harmful to young children, seniors and those with respiratory and heart conditions.
When Spare the Air Alerts are issued, the BAAQMD recommends doing outdoor exercise only in the early morning hours when ozone levels are lower.
