Air Quality Index at a glance

MOSES LAKE — You don't need a newspaper reporter to inform you that it is smoky in the Columbia Basin. Anyone who has ventured outside over the last couple of days has no doubt noticed the haze that is blanketing the Central Washington sky.

The smoke is mainly a by-product of fires burning in British Columbia, where at last count there was more than 100 active wildfires. High winds pushed the smoke downward through nearby counties like Okanogan, until it hit the Basin Monday and Tuesday. Coupled with smoke from large wildfires in nearby counties, the Basin got hit with smoke from several different sources.

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Air Quality Index was designed to inform the public on how clean or polluted the air is in a given area. Focusing on the health of the public, the index breaks down air quality into six groups in a color coded system; good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous.

In good, the air quality poses little or no risk to the public. Moderate indicates the air quality is acceptable, but some pollutants could pose a moderate health risk to a limited number of people. Air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups presents a risk to people with lung disease, older adults and children, all of whom are at a greater risk when it comes to health problems. Very unhealthy air quality would trigger a health alert that states everyone could possibly experience serious health problems. When the air quality is labeled as hazardous, the entire population is likely to be affected.

On Tuesday afternoon the state Department of Ecology listed the air conditions at its Moses Lake station as unhealthy for sensitive groups. The conditions were upgraded to unhealthy Wednesday morning and downgraded at noon back to unhealthy for sensitive groups.

The EPA suggests the following tips to keep in mind during a fire and times of heavy smoke:

• Pay attention to local air quality reports.
• Limit time spent outside and pay attention to adverse reactions.
• Invest in either a particulate mask or respirator if you feel at risk or want to limit your exposure to the smoke.
• If advised to stay indoors, keep all windows and doors closed and run your air conditioner.
• Keep particulate levels low inside your home by avoiding using anything that burns.