News & Information

Sussex County Air Quality is Improving but Alert Remains Active Today, June 9, 2023

The air quality in Sussex County is improving but continues to remain unhealthy for sensitive groups today due to the smoke, haze and burning odor from Canadian wildfires. The alert that was released on June 7 and 8 remains active today. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should reduce their exposure by choosing less strenuous activities or shortening the amount of time they are active outdoors. Those who are unusually sensitive to particle pollution should consider reducing their activity level or shorten the amount of time they are active outdoors. Visit www.airnow.gov to obtain more information about the air quality in your location. Please visit www.sussex.nj.us/health for additional updates as they become available.

For additional air quality information on New Jersey, go to https://www.nj.gov/dep/airmon/

6/9 Update - An Air Quality Action Day for Particulate Matter (PM2.5) has been declared for Friday, June 9th. Sensitive individuals, including those with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and the young should limit strenuous activities and the amount of time active outdoors. Levels of fine particulates will remain elevated in the unhealthy for sensitive groups category statewide on Friday due to residual Canadian wildfire smoke. Ozone levels are forecast to drop into the good/moderate threshold on Friday as chances for rain are expected to help limit ozone formation in northern portions of the state. 6/10 - Levels of fine particle concentrations have continued to slowly decline over the last 24 hours and should continue to do so through Saturday. However, concentrations in upwind locations measuring moderate levels of PM2.5 may allow concentrations in New Jersey to average in the upper moderate category for the day. Due to residual wildfire smoke in the atmosphere, sunny skies, and warm temperatures, ozone may reach the moderate category statewide particularly in southern New Jersey. 6/11 - Fine particle concentrations are expected to remain in the upper moderate category through Sunday as winds will shift out of the southwest and may continue to recirculate PM2.5 from upwind areas. Additionally, there may be a chance for ozone concentrations to creep into the USG category on Sunday as sunny skies, temperatures reaching the upper 80s, and southwesterly winds are expected in combination with residual wildfire smoke in the atmosphere. 6/12 - Air quality is expected to return to the good category on Monday as breezy onshore winds, cloudy skies, and much needed rain are forecast for the Garden State.