The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has issued an Air Quality Alert for today and Thursday July 16, for elevated levels of fine particulates (PM2.5) due to wildfire smoke. Pollutants are expected to be in the Unhealthy range in northern Michigan. Hourly concentrations at times may reach Very Unhealthy to Hazardous. The alert is in effect for all of northern Michigan. This includes the following counties, Roscommon, Charlevoix, Missaukee, Wexford, Beaver Island and surrounding islands, Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island, Manistee, Emmet, Iosco, Ogemaw, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Eastern Mackinac, Alcona, Western Mackinac, Montmorency, Southeast Chippewa, Otsego, Central Chippewa, Antrim, Western Chippewa, Arenac, Leelanau, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Alpena, Oscoda, Crawford, and Gladwin. It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory diseases such as asthma. Watch for symptoms including wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in nose, throat, and eyes. You can help reduce air pollution by limiting activities, such as outdoor burning, and use of residential wood burning devices. Tips for households: Keep windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or higher rated filters. For up-to-date air quality data for Michigan, visit the MiAir site: https://michigan.gov/MiAir For up-to-date air quality data nationally, visit EPA's Air Now site: https://www.airnow.gov For further health information, please see MDHHS' Wildfire Smoke and Your Health site at https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury- prev/environmental-health/your-health-and-wildfire-smoke.