{"url_path":"/weather/alerts/2.49.0.1.840.0.54bb036626ad5ce214da31438bb162269753a73c.001.1","section_key":"alert","section_title":"Air Quality Alert issued July 17 at 9:45AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana","topic":"weather","document":{"doc_type":"alert","doc_date":"2026-07-17","source_url":"https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn%3Aoid%3A2.49.0.1.840.0.54bb036626ad5ce214da31438bb162269753a73c.001.1","accession_number":null,"cik":null,"ticker":null,"issuer_name":null,"edgar_url":null,"primary_entity_key":null,"primary_entity_name":"NWS Northern Indiana"},"word_count":348,"has_tables":false,"body_markdown":"# Air Quality Alert: Air Quality Alert issued July 17 at 9:45AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana\n\n**Severity:** Unknown\n**Certainty:** Unknown\n**Urgency:** Unknown\n**Areas:** Cass; St. Joseph; Branch; Hillsdale; Northern Berrien; Southern Berrien\n**Issued by:** NWS Northern Indiana\n**Sent:** 2026-07-17T09:45:00-04:00\n**Effective:** 2026-07-17T09:45:00-04:00\n**Expires:** 2026-07-19T00:00:00-04:00\n\n## Description\nThe Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy\n(EGLE) has issued an Air Quality Alert for Friday July 17 and\nSaturday July 18, for elevated levels of fine particulate due to\nwildfire smoke. Concentrations on Friday will range from Very\nUnhealthy in southern areas to Hazardous in the north. On Saturday\nconcentrations will range from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG)\nin the south to Very Unhealthy in northern portions of the state.\n\nThis is a Statewide Air Quality Alert.\n\nPlumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires continue to drift across the\nregion. Elevated fine particulate due to the smoke will continue\nthrough Saturday. The threat of increased ozone may come into play\nSaturday as well.\n\nIt is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor\nactivities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory\ndiseases like asthma. Monitor for symptoms such as wheezing,\ncoughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat, and\neyes.\n\nEveryone should seek cleaner air indoors and keep activity low.\nWhile indoors, take action to improve the indoor air quality such as:\n\n- Closing windows and minimize opening of doors.\n- If HVAC systems are not equipped with MERV-13 filters or higher,use\nportable air cleaners.\n- Avoid activities that make indoor air quality worse:\nburningcandles, using vacuums without a HEPA filter, using gas\nstoves more than necessary, smoking, spraying aerosol products.\n\nIf you must be outdoors for short periods of time:\n- Wear an N95 or P100 respirator marked with \"NIOSH.\" The\nrespiratorshould fit tightly, collapse as you breathe in and not\nlet air in from the sides.\n- Do not use masks for children under age of 2.\n\nFor up-to-date air quality data for Michigan visit the MiAir site:\nMichigan.gov/MiAir\n\nFor up-to-date air quality data nationally visit EPA's Air Now site:\nAirNow.gov\n\nFor further health information, please see MDHHS's Wildfire Smoke\nand You Health site:\nhttps://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-prev/environmental-\nhealth/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke"}