Air Quality Action Day issued for some Indiana counties on Saturday

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued an Air Quality Action Day for Saturday.

The forecast shows high ozone levels throughout Indiana. The following Central Indiana counties will be under the action day status.

• Marion
• Bartholomew
• Boone
• Brown
• Delaware
• Hamilton
• Hendricks
• Howard
• Madison
• Shelby

Other counties in the state under the action day status include:

• Clark
• Floyd
• Daviess
• Dubois
• Gibson
• Greene
• Knox
• Perry
• Pike
• Posey
• Spencer
• Vanderburgh
• Warrick
• Vigo
• Carroll
• Tippecanoe

The included counties are all equipped with ozone air quality monitors to track their levels, but it is advised all counties in the action status should be vigilant of the forecast.

To track the air quality information IDEM has a SmogWatch forecast.

AQADs typically occur when weather conditions such as light winds, hot and dry air, stagnant conditions and lower atmospheric inversions trap pollutants close to the ground, according to IDEM.

IDEM said anyone sensitive to changes in air quality may be affected when ozone levels are high. Children, people who are elderly and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or try to avoid heavy work outdoors during the advised period.

The recommendation IDEM has for everyone during this time is to modify certain daily habits by following these suggestions:

• Drive less: carpool, use public transportation, walk, bike, or work from home when possible
• Combine errands into one trip
• Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m.
• Keep your engine tuned, and do not let your engine idle (e.g., at a bank or restaurant drive-thru)
• Conserve energy by turning off lights and setting the thermostat to 75 degrees or above 

The action day is in effect in the counties listed until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday.