What parts of central Ohio have lower air quality Tuesday as wildfire smoke blows through?

Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
June 7, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; A bicyclist rides through Genoa Park along the Scioto River in 2023 as smog from Canadian wildfires affects the downtown view.
June 7, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; A bicyclist rides through Genoa Park along the Scioto River in 2023 as smog from Canadian wildfires affects the downtown view.

Parts of central Ohio are seeing decreased air quality Tuesday as smoke from Texas and Oklahoma wildfires travels across the United States.

Parts of southern Columbus, Circleville and Chillicothe are experiencing decreased air quality, with air quality considered moderate (as opposed to good) at the Jackson Township Wastewater Treatment Plant, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's Air and Smoke map. The lowest air quality in central and south Ohio was 69 around 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

Air quality map in central Ohio shows portions of central and south Ohio were experiencing reduced air quality Tuesday. Screenshot from airnow.gov
Air quality map in central Ohio shows portions of central and south Ohio were experiencing reduced air quality Tuesday. Screenshot from airnow.gov

EPA data shows the air quality is improving in central Ohio.

Smoke from wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma are also visible on the smoke map traveling over portions of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

A cluster of fires broke out last week and quickly spread over several rural counties in Texas and into neighboring Oklahoma, fueled by strong wind gusts and unseasonably dry conditions, USA Today reported. As of Tuesday morning, the largest of the blazes, the Smokehouse Creek fire, had ripped through more than 1 million acres, burning an area larger than the state of Rhode Island.

Smoke and reduced air quality came to Columbus on Tuesday as wildfires blazed in Texas and Oklahoma. Screenshot from fire.airnow.gov.
Smoke and reduced air quality came to Columbus on Tuesday as wildfires blazed in Texas and Oklahoma. Screenshot from fire.airnow.gov.

The Fire and Smoke map shows many of the active fires in the area remain in Oklahoma.

Last summer, Columbus was shrouded in haze from a series of Canadian megafires, according to NASA. A moderate air quality on Tuesday is a far cry from the extremely poor air quality last year, when it reached 236 in late June 2023 in Columbus, which was considered very unhealthy, The Dispatch previously reported.

What does "moderate" air quality mean?

The air quality index, as high as 69 in parts of central Ohio, is considered moderate. A typical air quality index (AQI) in Columbus is around 25.

The AQI is based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency measure that runs from 0 to 500, for both particulate matter and ozone. When levels reach above 100, air quality is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission issues an air quality alert.

A moderate air quality means unusually sensitive people should reduce outdoor activity and go indoors if they experience symptoms. If you don't see smoke or haze, feel free to open your windows, according to the EPA.

@Colebehr_report

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio air quality near Columbus decreases due to wildfire smoke