Another 'Spare The Air' Alert Issued For Friday Amid Bay Area Heat Wave

BAY AREA, CA – As a heat wave lingers in the region, another "Spare the Air" alert has been issued for Friday in the San Francisco Bay Area.

An excessive amount of smog is once again expected in the Bay Area, air quality officials said. A high-pressure ridge is over the region, leading to extremely hot, triple-digit temperatures inland, as well as light, offshore winds. Officials said these conditions, coupled with smoke from Northern California and Oregon wildfires, are expected to cause unhealthy ozone levels throughout the Bay Area.

“The Labor Day heat wave is expected to bring unhealthy air quality throughout much of the inland areas of the Bay Area,” Jack Broadbent, executive director of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, said in a statement. “Extreme temperatures, like those we are expecting this weekend, require caution. To protect your health, avoid exercising or outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day and follow the advice of local health officials to find cooling centers in your area.”

It's the 11th time the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has called an alert for smog in 2017. Spare the Air alerts are called when smog is forecast to reach unhealthy levels.

Officials with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District are asking commuters to consider taking transit, carpooling or working from home Thursday to improve the air quality. Air quality officials also advise people to limit outdoor activities.

Smog can cause throat irritation, congestion, chest pain, trigger asthma, inflame the lining of the lungs and worsen bronchitis and emphysema. Smog is particularly harmful to young children, seniors and people with respiratory and heart conditions. Long-term exposure to smog can reduce the functioning of someone's lungs.

To find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect, people can register at www.sparetheair.org, call 800-HELP-AIR, download the Spare the Air smartphone app or connect with Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.

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