{"url_path":"/weather/alerts/2.49.0.1.840.0.8af3dd80b7491ed8ea85bca633193467f4812bfe.001.1","section_key":"alert","section_title":"Air Quality Alert issued July 16 at 11:49AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana","topic":"weather","document":{"doc_type":"alert","doc_date":"2026-07-16","source_url":"https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn%3Aoid%3A2.49.0.1.840.0.8af3dd80b7491ed8ea85bca633193467f4812bfe.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":326,"has_tables":false,"body_markdown":"# Air Quality Alert: Air Quality Alert issued July 16 at 11:49AM 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:** 2026-07-16T11:51:00-04:00\n**Effective:** 2026-07-16T11:49:00-04:00\n**Expires:** 2026-07-17T12:00:00-04:00\n\n## Description\nThe Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy\n(EGLE) has declared an Air Quality Alert for Thursday and Friday,\nJuly 16 and 17, for elevated levels of fine particulate due to\nwildfire smoke. Pollutants within those areas are expected to be in\nthe Hazardous range.\n\nThe Air Quality Alert is in effect for the following counties in\nsouthwest Michigan...\n\nBerrien, Cass, St Joseph, Branch, and Hillsdale.\n\nPlumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires continue to drift across\nthe region. Elevated fine particulate due to the smoke will continue\nthrough Friday.\n\nEveryone should seek cleaner air indoors and keep activity levels\nlow. While indoors, take action to improve the indoor air quality\nsuch as:\n\n- closing windows and minimize opening of doors\n- if HVAC systems are not equipped with MERV-13 filters or higher,\nuse portable air cleaners.\n- avoid activities that make indoor air quality worse: burning\ncandles, using vacuums without a HEPA filter, using gas stoves more\nthan necessary, smoking, spraying aerosol products.\n\nIf you must be outdoors for short periods of time:\n\n- Wear an N95 or P100 respirator marked with \"NIOSH\". The respirator\nshould fit tightly, collapse as you breathe in and not let air in\nfrom the sides.\n- Do not use masks for children under age 2.\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,\nand eyes.\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: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-\nprev/environmental-health/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke"}