COLUMBUS, Ohio — As West Virginia is experiencing a wildfire, many Ohioans smelled smoke outside early Sunday as southerly winds carried it into central Ohio.
A cold front moved across the state and moderate southerly winds carried the smoke from the wildfire in West Virginia into central Ohio. This increase in particle concentrations led to a decrease in the air quality earlier Sunday.
As of 9 p.m., the Air Quality Index level in central Ohio was listed as 51, which is moderate. It’s recommended that those who are unusually sensitive to particle pollution reduce their activity level or shorten the amount of time outside.
The quality is expected to improve significantly on Monday with a forecasted AQI level of 44.
According to a spokesperson with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, there is no air quality advisory. An alert for sensitive groups is put out by MORPC when PM2.5 levels go over 100.
What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?
The AQI scale is the Environmental Protection Agency’s index for reporting air quality and runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern.
When AQI levels reach above 100, air quality is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. The MORPC then issues an Air Quality Alert.