WESTFORD — Another day of poor air quality was reported in Westford on Tuesday, with the Air Quality Index reaching 126 Tuesday afternoon.
Hazy skies were first seen above Westford on Monday, as smoke from Canadian wildfires moved across Massachusetts.
This prompted the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to issue an air quality alert for much of the state on Monday.
According to the MassDEP, fine particulates were found in the air across much of Middlesex County on both Monday and Tuesday, with the AQI exceeding 100 both days as a result. This means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups including children, elderly adults and adults with asthma, lung or heart disease.
In addition to the harmful particulates from the wildfire smoke found in the air, ground-level ozone resulting from the air pollution also poses a risk to sensitive groups.
“People with lung disease are at greater risk from exposure to ozone, while people with either lung disease or heart disease are at greater risk from exposure to particle pollution,” the MassDEP said.
The MassDEP recommends taking several steps to avoid exposure to unhealthy air, including avoiding outdoor activities, keeping windows closed, wearing a face mask, using air purifiers and air filters, and avoiding strenuous activities.
“People in sensitive groups should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion,” the MassDEP said. “Take more breaks and do less intense activities, and follow asthma action plans and keep quick relief medicine handy. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.
Ongoing wildfires burning in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan this week, have caused the thick smoke to travel east over the Great Lakes into the Midwest, upstate New York and finally New England.
According to the MassDEP, the air quality across Massachusetts is expected to gradually improve Tuesday evening, as easterly winds push the wildfire smoke offshore.
