ADEQ launches a new high pollution watch air quality alert

(KYMA, KECY)-How bad is air quality in your neighborhood?

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) issues a high pollution watch air quality alert to forecast areas with early notice of potential poor air quality conditions based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI).

The alert is designed for the communities in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, and Nogales.

The alert provides people with advance notice of potentially poor air quality, the information they can use to plan activities, like being outdoors, carpooling, and teleworking.

“Providing our communities with timely and accurate air quality forecasts is central to ADEQ’s mission to protect and enhance public health and the environment,” said Daniel Czecholinski, ADEQ Air Quality Division Director.

“Serving as an early notice of a potential High Pollution Advisory, ADEQ’s new High Pollution Watch gives people straightforward, easy-to-understand air quality information they can factor in when making plans related to their work and outdoor recreation.”

The Arizona Air Quality Mascot, Ari, states color is linked to the AQUI and changes based on the current AQI.

See below:

When Ari's color is:

• Green — air quality is good
• Yellow — air quality is fair
• Orange — air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups (such as children and people with asthma)
• Red — air quality is unhealthy for everyone and outdoor exertion should be limited.

To learn more about the new high pollution, watch air quality alert, click here.