Indianapolis, Indiana – Smoke-driven air pollution is creating unhealthy breathing conditions across much of Indiana on Monday, prompting state officials to expand Air Quality Action Day alerts across nearly the entire state. Residents in northern Indiana face the greatest concern, where fine particle pollution is expected to reach unhealthy levels, while central and southern sections remain under elevated air quality alerts for sensitive groups.
According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), PM2.5 concentrations are forecast to reach Unhealthy levels across Northwest, North Central and Northeast Indiana on Monday. West Central, Central, East Central, Southwest and Southeast Indiana are expected to experience Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups conditions due to elevated fine particulate matter.
The poorest air quality is expected across communities including Gary, South Bend, Fort Wayne and surrounding northern counties. Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Bloomington, Evansville and other central and southern cities will also experience degraded air quality, although pollution levels are expected to be lower than those farther north.
Children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with asthma, COPD or heart disease should reduce prolonged outdoor activity, especially during the afternoon when pollution levels can remain elevated. Even healthy individuals may notice eye irritation, coughing or shortness of breath after extended time outside. Keeping windows closed, limiting strenuous outdoor exercise and using indoor air filtration where available can help reduce exposure.
Residents can monitor changing air quality conditions at SmogWatch.IN.gov throughout the day. Additional Air Quality Action Days could be issued if smoke and elevated PM2.5 concentrations persist into the week.
