{"url_path":"/weather/alerts/2.49.0.1.840.0.8cdb5334fae95bb19207ffb0a14aedc700ce4400.001.1","section_key":"alert","section_title":"Air Quality Alert issued July 16 at 9:16AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI","topic":"weather","document":{"doc_type":"alert","doc_date":"2026-07-16","source_url":"https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn%3Aoid%3A2.49.0.1.840.0.8cdb5334fae95bb19207ffb0a14aedc700ce4400.001.1","accession_number":null,"cik":null,"ticker":null,"issuer_name":null,"edgar_url":null,"primary_entity_key":null,"primary_entity_name":"NWS Gaylord MI"},"word_count":298,"has_tables":false,"body_markdown":"# Air Quality Alert: Air Quality Alert issued July 16 at 9:16AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI\n\n**Severity:** Unknown\n**Certainty:** Unknown\n**Urgency:** Unknown\n**Areas:** Emmet; Cheboygan; Presque Isle; Leelanau; Antrim; Otsego; Montmorency; Alpena; Benzie; Grand Traverse; Kalkaska; Crawford; Oscoda; Alcona; Manistee; Wexford; Missaukee; Roscommon; Ogemaw; Iosco; Gladwin; Arenac; Western Chippewa; Central Chippewa; Southeast Chippewa; Western Mackinac; Eastern Mackinac; Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island; Beaver Island and surrounding islands; Charlevoix\n**Issued by:** NWS Gaylord MI\n**Sent:** 2026-07-16T09:16:00-04:00\n**Effective:** 2026-07-16T09:16:00-04:00\n**Expires:** 2026-07-17T12:00:00-04:00\n\n## Description\nThe Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy\nhas issued an Air Quality Alert for today and Friday July 17, for\nelevated levels of fine particulates (PM2.5) due to wildfire smoke.\nPollutants are expected to range from Very Unhealthy to Hazardous.\n\nThe alert is in effect for all of northern Michigan. This includes\nthe following counties,\n\nRoscommon, Charlevoix, Missaukee, Wexford, Beaver Island and\nsurrounding islands, Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island, Manistee,\nEmmet, Iosco, Ogemaw, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Eastern Mackinac,\nAlcona, Western Mackinac, Montmorency, Southeast Chippewa, Otsego,\nCentral Chippewa, Antrim, Western Chippewa, Arenac, Leelanau,\nKalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Alpena, Oscoda, Crawford, and\nGladwin.\n\nIt is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor\nactivities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory\ndiseases such as asthma. Watch for symptoms including wheezing,\ncoughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat,\nand eyes.\n\nYou can help reduce air pollution by limiting activities, such as\noutdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices.\n\nTips for households: Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke\nfrom getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning\nwith MERV-13 or higher rated filters.\n\nFor up-to-date air quality data for Michigan, visit the MiAir site:\nhttps://michigan.gov/MiAir\n\nFor up-to-date air quality data nationally, visit EPA's Air Now\nsite: https://www.airnow.gov\n\nFor further health information, please see MDHHS' Wildfire Smoke and\nYour Health site at https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-\nprev/environmental-health/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke."}