DEP declares Code Orange air quality action day for York and other areas Friday

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection declared a Code Orange air quality action day for Friday covering several counties, including York.

The declaration includes the Susquehanna Valley, the Philadelphia area and the Lehigh Valley-Berks area.

A high ozone concentration in these areas warranted the Code Orange declaration, representing unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups, according to the DEP.

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On a scale of severity, green signifies good air quality, followed by yellow, orange and finally red representing unhealthy pollution levels for all people, according to the DEP.

Clear skies, warmer temperatures and light winds will contribute to the high ozone concentration on Friday. The DEP recommends young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems limit outdoor activities.

The DEP also encourages residents and businesses to help reduce ozone air pollution by carpooling or using public transportation to limit emissions, refueling cars and trucks after dusk and conserving electricity.

For more information on air quality and the code orange declaration, visit https://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/AQPartnersWeb/.

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— Reach Noel Miller at NMiller3@yorkdispatch.com or via Twitter at @TheNoelM.