Spare the Air Alert extended through Sunday for Bay Area due to hot weather

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has announced a Spare the Air alert is in effect through Sunday in the region due to hot weather and weak winds that will combine with motor vehicle exhaust to create unhealthy levels of smog.

Temperatures that were expected to peak Wednesday at about 110 degrees in some inland Bay Area locations will be slightly lower Thursday but still around 100 degrees in the hottest spots, according to the National Weather Service.

The heat, lack of wind and vehicle traffic are expected to cause unhealthy levels of smog, otherwise known as ozone. Breathing it in can cause throat irritation, chest pain and other health problems, with young children, older adults and people with respiratory and heart conditions being particularly susceptible.

On Spare the Air days, the air district encouraged people to only exercise outdoors in the early morning hours when smog levels are lower.

People can find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect by visiting the organization's website, calling (800) HELP-AIR, downloading the Spare the Air app on their smartphone or find Spare the Air on social media.

App users: For a better experience, click here to view the full map in a new window

What are Spare the Air days?

Air quality in the Bay Area can be unhealthy at times throughout the year.

Spare the Air Alerts are called when ozone pollution is forecast to reach unhealthy levels. Ozone, or smog, can cause throat irritation, congestion, chest pain, trigger asthma, inflame the lining of the lungs and worsen bronchitis and emphysema. Long-term exposure to ozone can reduce lung function. Ozone pollution is particularly harmful to young children, seniors and those with respiratory and heart conditions.

When a Spare the Air Alert is called, outdoor exercise should be done only in the early morning hours when ozone concentrations are lower. Residents are encouraged to reduce air pollution every day by rethinking their commute and avoiding driving alone.

Find out more about what the Air District is doing to address climate change in the nine-county Bay Area. Spare the Air-Cool the Climate is a blueprint for tackling regional air pollution and climate pollutants while improving the health of Bay Area residents for the next several decades. Check out the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's video about their vision on climate change:

On Spare the Air days or nights, there is no free transit.

Here's a list of simple things the public can do to make clean air choices every day:

• Bike to work or around town
• Take public transit
• Work at home or telecommute
• Carpool and link your errands to reduce driving
• Avoid using gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers
• Reduce household energy use
• Don't use lighter fluid on the barbecue
• Avoid using aerosol spray cleaners, paints and hairspray

The Spare the Air smog season runs from May through October. The Winter Spare the Air season runs from November through February.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality in the Bay Area. For more information about Spare the Air, visit www.sparetheair.org

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