Smoke and haze from Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the Midwest the past two days, causing some Aurora area residents to stay indoors or change their routines after an air quality alert was released, officials said.
The alert issued by the National Weather Service on Tuesday recommended people stay inside and keep windows closed and limit physical activity, especially outdoors. It was due to expire at midnight Wednesday.
“Active children and adults, especially people with pulmonary or respiratory diseases such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor activity,” weather officials said concerning the alert.
In Aurora, Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center closed early Wednesday because of low attendance.
“That may be a reaction from the general public to be safe and stay indoors,” said Holly Wiggins of the Fox Valley Park District.
The park district made adjustments Tuesday and Wednesday to its programming to help keep participants and staff safe, Wiggins said. The district’s day camp spends most of its days outside, so the schedule was restructured and campers will attend swimming activities on Thursday instead of the typically planned Wednesday outing.
“This allowed campers to spend the day at their home site where they have better access to indoor facilities,” Wiggins said. “We’ve also been offering our staff more breaks during the day to go inside.”
At the Bickford of Oswego assisted living and memory care facility, residents typically spend Wednesdays outdoors going on long walks and spending time in the courtyard, Happiness Coordinator Erika Richaud said. Instead, they did indoor walking with residents and recommended people stay hydrated, read a book or take a nap.
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Aurora Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Rhodes said call volumes to the department have remained steady and they have not seen an increase in calls for health problems due to breathing issues caused by the recent haze.
baiduhai reporter Deanese Williams-Harris contributed to this report.