1st Spare the Air alert of the year issued in Bay Area to accompany Friday's heat wave
Bay Area braces for end of week heat spell
Officials in Santa Clara County and other municipalities outlined how they plan to keep residents safe amid an end-of-week heat snap that could see the mercury touch triple digits in some places.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Air quality officials have issued the first Spare the Air alert of the year for ozone in the Bay Area for Friday, when triple-digit inland temperatures are expected to combine with motor vehicle exhaust to create high levels of the harmful pollutant.
The Bay Area Air District issued the alert because air quality is forecast to be unhealthy in the region due to ozone, also known as smog.
Ozone can cause throat irritation, congestion and chest pain and is particularly harmful for young children, seniors and people with respiratory and heart conditions. Air district officials recommend that on Spare the Air days, people only do outdoor exercising in the early morning hours when ozone concentrations are lower.
People can find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect by signing up for text alerts by texting "START" to 81757, calling (877) 4NO-BURN, visiting www.sparetheair.org or www.baaqmd.gov, signing up for email alerts at www.sparetheair.org/alerts, or downloading the Spare the Air smartphone app.
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