Topeka air quality diminishes. Children, teens, older adults here asked to be outside less
Smoke from Canadian wildfires once again brought Topeka reduced air quality on Monday.
The capital city's air quality rating rose to 112 as of 6 a.m. Monday, leaving the air here in the category of "unhealthy for sensitive groups," the Environmental Protection Agency said on its website at airnow.gov.
Topeka's air had also been in that category Sunday.
Do we know how long this will last?
The primary pollutant consisted of tiny elevated particulate matter, called PM 2.5, caused by the smoke.
It wasn't clear whether the situation would continue Tuesday, the EPA said.
As of 8 a.m. Monday, the air quality rating was 107 for Topeka and 102 for Wichita.
The EPA encouraged children, teens, older adults and people with heart or lung disease to spend less time active outdoors and choose less strenuous activities, such as walking instead of running.
For everyone else, the EPA said, "enjoy your outdoor activities."
How widespread have the Canadian wildfires been?
Canadian wildfires also reduced air quality in Topeka for three days earlier this month. The capital city's rating reached 170 on Sept. 7, which left the air here in the category of "unhealthy."
More than 6,300 fires have burned in 2023 during a record-breaking year for Canada, with more than 900 being active Friday morning, said the website of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka air quality Monday deemed 'unhealthy for sensitive groups'
