As you may have heard in local media reports, the National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert for Western Washington through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 22. The alert is due to thick smoke over British Columbia and east of the Cascades that has been pushed into Western Washington by north and northeast winds.

Air quality can change from day to day or even hour to hour, and it is important to stay informed of current air quality conditions, health warnings and alerts.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a color-coded tool for reporting daily air quality. It provides simple information on local air quality, the health concerns for different levels of air pollution and how you can protect your health when pollutants reach unhealthy levels. To see current air quality conditions, visit the Washington State Department of Ecology Air Quality Monitoring website. A simplified air quality index graphic, which provides health recommendations for the different color-coded air quality categories, is also available on the Washington State Department of Health website.

The Washington State Department of Health also offers detailed information on how residents can best deal with smoke impacts on their homes and communities. For more information, visit the agency’s website.

Other related websites include:

• Check wildfire and smoke locations on the Washington Smoke Information blog
• See current air quality monitoring data on the Department of Ecology Air Quality Monitoring website
• Additional air quality monitoring and data is available on the Olympic Region Clear Air Agency website