The Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC) is issuing an air quality notice for Hillsborough County. This is to notify the public of elevated pollution in the air due mainly to the wildfires burning in the northern part of Florida.
The current air quality in Hillsborough County is at a moderate level for fine particulate matter. According to the NOAA Graphical Forecast (8 a.m. EDT), the wind direction from the northeast will persist for the remainder of today. The National Weather Service in Ruskin states that the afternoon sea breeze should clear the smoke from the Tampa Bay Area; similar conditions are expected for tomorrow morning (Friday, April 13).
Although the air quality has not reached unhealthy levels, EPC is monitoring the particulate levels and will advise if conditions worsen. Individuals with pre-existing respiratory ailments, the elderly, or the very young may want to take this into consideration when planning any outside activities.
For information on local air quality, visit http://www.epchc.org/current_air_quality.htm. For information on how smoke from fires can affect health, visit http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=smoke.index.
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