'Spare The Air' Alert Issued Again In Bay Area

BAY AREA, CA – A third consecutive "Spare the Air" alert has been issued for Monday in the San Francisco Bay Area. An excessive amount of smog is expected in the region, air quality officials said.

Officials with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District are asking commuters to consider taking transit, carpooling or working from home to improve the air quality.

"Unhealthy air quality for a third consecutive day underscores the need for reducing traffic on Bay Area roads," Jack Broadbent, executive director of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, said in a statement.

Spare the Air alerts are issued when smog is forecast to reach unhealthy levels.

During Spare the Air days, 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.

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