Air quality in St. Louis was unhealthy on Monday morning because of wildfire smoke.
The Metro East had the seventh-worst air quality index level in the U.S. in mid-morning, according to AirNow, the Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality tracker.
As of 9 a.m., air quality in St. Louis had reached an index value of 142, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. That level is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including the young, elderly and people with certain health conditions.
The main pollutant causing poor air quality is a small particle that can come from fires. Heavy smoke pollution has moved through the northeastern U.S. in recent days, fueled by large wildfires burning in Canada and parts of the U.S.
Air quality across the Mississippi River also was poor on Monday. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued an air quality alert for multiple counties in the Metro East because of the wildfire smoke. The agency said active children and adults and people with diseases like asthma should limit outdoor activity on Monday.
