More than 250,000 people are advised to limit their time outdoors on Friday due to unhealthy or very unhealthy air quality.
Why It Matters
Numerous events can worsen air quality, including high temperatures and wildfire smoke. On Friday, wildfire smoke was worsening the air quality in parts of North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and South Carolina.
Wildfires continue to burn across North Carolina and South Carolina after erupting amid dry conditions and an abundance of leftover debris from Hurricane Helene , which tore through the region last September.
What To Know
On Friday, the air quality index (AQI) was at unhealthy levels for more than 250,000 people in parts of Tennessee and South Carolina, according to AirNow, a coalition of the U.S. government and tribal agencies that monitors air quality.
AirNow urges children, the elderly, and sensitive populations to limit time outdoors once AQI levels hit 101. An AQI of 101 to 150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. An AQI of 151 to 200 means that air quality is unhealthy for everyone. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered “very unhealthy.”…