Health

When will the wildfire smoke clear in Northeast Ohio?

Ideastream Public Media | By Stephen Langel

Published June 28, 2023 at 10:25 AM EDT

Updated June 29, 2023 at 10:17 AM EDT

street view of downtown Cleveland, smoky haze makes it difficult to see — Downtown Cleveland streets were hazy and empty Wednesday morning amid city-wide air quality warnings.

Updated: June 29, 2023 at 10:17 AM EDT

On Thursday, Summit County Public Health warned residents that, although air quality had improved, levels were still high enough to be dangerous, especially to children, pregnant people, older adults and individuals who suffer from diabetes, heart disease or respiratory disease.

"SCPH would like to notify Summit County residents that the air quality levels are still high enough today to be problematic so consider taking precautions to avoid being outside as much as possible and try to limit outdoor strenuous physical activity over the next twenty-four hours as the smoke from the Canadian wildfires remains over Ohio causing poor air quality across the state," the health department said in a statement.

As of midmorning Thursday, air quality levels were rated "unhealthy" in Akron, Canton, Cleveland and Lorain, according to AirNow.gov, which tracks air quality across the country.

That 'unhealthy' rating means vulnerable people should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep outdoor activities short and consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them, according to AirNow.gov.

Everyone else should choose less strenuous activities, shorten the amount of time spent active outdoors and postpone active outdoor time until air quality further improves.

Air quality in Northeast Ohio is expected to markedly improve over the next 48 hours with no heightened risks expected as of Friday.

Northeast Ohio was under air quality warnings starting Wednesday due to toxic smoke stemming from Canadian wildfires, leading several outdoor events to be postponed. However, according to AirNow.gov, the air quality will improve from its current "very unhealthy" rating to a "moderate" status by Friday.

Under "moderate" conditions, only the most sensitive individuals need to take any precautions, according to AirNow.gov.

The City Club announced Wednesday afternoon it would postpone its annual State of Cuyahoga County address to Friday due to the expected improved air quality. The outdoor address will take place at the Jacobs Pavilion in Cleveland.

Other events Wednesday were also postponed because of health concerns, including the Wade Oval Wednesday concert in University Circle. The June 28 outdoor concert, which was to feature reggae musician Carlos Jones and his P.L.U.S. band, has been rescheduled for August 23.

Air quality was also rated "very unhealthy" Wednesday in Akron, Canton, Lorain and Youngstown, according to AirNow.gov, which tracks air quality across the country.

Birdseye view of Cleveland from 400 ft in the air, half the view is completely covered by smoky haze — The Downtown Cleveland skyline is completely invisible from East 124th Street due to smoke from Canadian wildfires hanging over the city.

The smoke contains a number of toxic chemicals that can cause immediate health problems, especially for vulnerable individuals, including chronic heart or lung disease, children, the elderly and pregnant women, according to warnings from the Ohio Department of Health, the Cleveland Department of Health and Summit County Public Health.

Cleveland Clinic pulmonologist Dr. Maeve MacMurdo said smoke is a particular concern because individuals may not immediately realize they are breathing polluted air.

“So, you can't always see it," she said. "You can't see it until after the damage is already done.”

MacMurdo said it is important these populations stay aware of any air quality reports to avoid this risk.

The Summit County's Akron Regional Air Quality Management District warned that breathing in the smoke can have several immediate health effects, including coughing, trouble breathing normally, stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose, irritated sinuses, wheezing and shortness of breath, chest pain, headaches, tiredness and fast heartbeat. It can also trigger asthma symptoms.

Akron Children’s Hospital pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Gregory Omlor said the health risk from the smoke is especially acute for young children, including those with asthma.

“The younger you are, the more likely you are to have problems and those that have underlying problems with their lungs, asthma being the most common one of those,” he said.

Some 20,000 children have asthma in Summit County, Omlor said.

Air quality was rated "very unhealthy" across swaths of Northeast Ohio due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. Here's what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend people do to cope. June 28, 2023

The Cleveland Department of Health recommended individuals with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens avoid strenuous outdoor activities or keep outdoor activities short. The department also said residents should consider the following to reduce exposure:

•Use mass transit instead of driving

•Conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions by combining necessary motor vehicle trips

•Reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize indoor sources of particulate matter

•If possible, utilize air purifying devices in the home to reduce pollutant concentrations