Fireworks helped make Detroit air quality 'unhealthy' Friday

Fourth of July celebrations combined with little air movement led to unhealthy air quality Friday in metro Detroit.

Detroit had a U.S. Air Quality Index value at 214 Friday morning — considered “very unhealthy” — and the Brightmoor neighborhood area near Redford reached 255, according to data from AirNow run through government partnerships.

While the numbers were dropping headed into the afternoon, the index was still in the “unhealthy” range with Detroit at 152 at 11 a.m. It dropped to 109, “unhealthy for sensitive groups” by noon.

An index value under 50 is considered good. Under 100 is still generally OK for those who aren’t unusually sensitive to air pollution.

The issue is that the air has been calm 3,000 meters into the sky, said Jill Josef Greenberg, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

That means the lingering effects of fireworks people set off in celebration Thursday don’t dissipate as fast.

“That firework smoke is just hanging over the city,” Greenberg said.

The high ranking appears to be isolated and unrelated to wildfires, she said.

Higher amounts of fine particulate matter, PM-2.5, often occur around July 4, but the amount this year was unusually high, Greenberg said.

The air quality reached 579, past the “hazardous” rating on the index, overnight, according to AirNow.

Luckily, winds are expected to pick up Friday afternoon and there’s a chance of rain, all of which could help, Greenberg said.

Muggy, storms today

It’s expected to be a bit muggy today, with highs in the mid-80 degrees Fahrenheit and storms midday and this evening, said Kevin Kacan, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service out of White Lake.

There’s an isolated risk storms could bring damaging wind or threats of hail.

The likelihood of fireworks being set off over the weekend could impact the air quality going forward, but those aren’t expected to be as voluminous as Thursday’s, Greenberg said.

When the air quality is in the “unhealthy” range, everyone is advised to choose less strenuous activities, shorten their time active outdoors or choose to be active when the air quality is better.

Those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens are advised to take those actions when the quality of the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Fireworks helped make Detroit air quality 'unhealthy' Friday