Air quality worst it has been in years

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ) — The air quality index is the worst it has been in 16 years, sitting at 175.

Due to the high number an air quality alert has been issued for Kentucky until midnight tonight.

ABC 36 Meteorologist Dillon Guadet says even though you won’t be able to see the haze after sunset it will still be there.

“Well right now with the air quality index over 150 in Lexington, it’s recommended that people, elderly people or those that have heart or lung problems to stay inside,” says Gaudet. “Even healthy people can start to notice some of the effects when the air quality is this poor.”

Dr. David Mannino, with the University of Kentucky, says we could be seeing this for a couple of days.

He also says that for people who want to be outside, to gauge how they are feeling.

“People who have underlying respiratory problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma or lung diseases, may notice that their breathing gets demonstratively difficult,” says Dr. Mannino. “I think for days like this it’s useful, particularly people with respiratory issues, to at least become familiar with what’s happening with the air quality.”

Dr. Mannino says for people without respiratory issues, the worst they might feel is a scratchy throat.

Meteorologist Dillon says the type of vegetation that is burning in Canada is why we are seeing such heavy haze.

“The fires in eastern Canada have such wet vegetation that’s burning right now, so that creates a lot more smoke than your typical dry vegetation,” says Guadet. “So that’s adding a lot more smoke than typical to the atmosphere and now it’s just being funneled towards us given the weather pattern.”

He also says we should see things clear up by the end of the week.