Air quality levels in Chicago reached the worst in the world Tuesday as all of northern Illinois went under an air quality alert, with “very unhealthy” levels reported due to Canadian wildfire smoke.
According to the World Air Quality Index, which ranks cities across the globe from worst air quality to best, Chicago currently holds the no. 1 spot — and that was before levels rose even higher Tuesday morning.
Chicago’s air quality entered “very unhealthy” territory just before noon Tuesday.
According to the government air quality website, AirNow, the PM2.5 — an air pollutant also known as fine particulate matter, which is causing much of the haze in the region — reached 209 as of 11:30 a.m. Anything over 200 is considered “very unhealthy.” By 1 p.m. that number had climbed to 228.
The National Weather Service also issued an air quality alert around that same time that remains in effect until midnight Wednesday, though conditions are expected to be “unhealthy for sensitive groups” across Illinois Wednesday.
The NWS reported smoke from wildfires in Canada is moving into the region and “pushing air quality into the unhealthy or worse categories.” The agency urged people to reduce or limit outdoor activities.
The city of Chicago recommends children, teens, seniors, people with heart or lung disease, and individuals who are pregnant avoid strenuous activities and limit their time outdoors. Everyone else should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep outdoor activities short, and consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
