Spare the Air Day Friday

A Spare the Air alert has been issued for Friday because of unhealthy pollution levels expected in the Bay Area, air quality officials said.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued the alert, its seventh of the summer season, because of a combination of high temperatures, low winds and vehicle exhaust that is expected to cause unhealthy ozone pollution in the region on Friday.

“Motor vehicles are the number one source of smog in the Bay Area, so going where you need to go without your car can make a big difference in air quality all summer long,” air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said in a statement.

The most recent Spare the Air alert was issued for last Friday because of similar hot weather and low winds, according to the air district.

Excessive ozone pollution can cause throat irritation or other medical problems, particularly for young children, seniors or those with existing respiratory or heart conditions, air district officials said.

To find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect, residents can visit www.sparetheair.org, call (800) HELP-AIR or connect with Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.

--Bay City News