HARTFORD, Conn. — Air quality levels across Connecticut are being impacted as wildfires in Canada continue to spread and medical experts are urging people to proceed with caution.
“The sun looks pretty in pink but it's a little bit scary and concerning,” said Jane Krantz.
Tuesday was a day of hazy skies and the sun looking like it was in a constant sunset.
“Just coming up route two here I just saw the smoke and saw the Hartford Skylines is really bad."
Smoke blanketing areas across Connecticut, coming from residue from Canada wildfires.
The National Weather Service issued an air quality alert for this area noting the air quality could be dangerous for anyone.
“So the air quality was really yucky so I could definitely feel it being outside,” said Roxanne Lebenzon. “I don't feel affected by it. No, I can't smell it. I can breathe fine. My son-in-law said he wouldn't go outside after school. And so I'm not going outside. It's terrible. So I guess it affects different people in different ways.”
Experts say the air quality does indeed impact people in different ways
“Patients who are otherwise healthy even still can experience things like, you know, suddenly feeling like it's heavier to breathe or it feels like it's heavier to breathe. They can feel that walking short distances or having periods of strenuous exercise can make it feel like it's more difficult for them to breathe, or they may have to take a little bit longer to catch their breath. Patients who have underlying conditions such as asthma or COPD, they are already functioning at a lower threshold with which their lungs may react to things like pollutants in the air. So they may experience things like wheezing or coughing more frequently throughout the day,” said clinical assistant professor of physician assistant studies at Quinnipiac University Shahana Theriault.
Experts said there are many ways you can protect yourself on poor air quality days like this.
“Staying indoors, wearing some kind of filter protects your lungs. If you have an inhaler, you probably want to find it you know and don't leave home without it,” Dr. Steven Thau with St. Vincent's Medical Center
Experts also said if you’re experiencing difficulty with this for the first time, this is a good time to call your doctor to check if there are any underlying problems.
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