The air quality in the Tri-Lakes region is expected to reach “unhealthy” levels on Monday, with a projected Air Quality Index value of 151, according to the AirNow.gov Air Quality Index, or AQI, reporting tool.

This level of air quality could be particularly harmful to those with heart or lung disease and to older adults, children and teens.

When outdoor AQI levels are elevated, going indoors may reduce exposure, according to the DEC. If there are significant indoor sources of smoke — such as tobacco, candle or incense smoke, or fumes from cooking — levels inside may not be lower than outside.

Some ways to reduce exposure are to minimize outdoor and indoor sources and avoid strenuous activities in areas where fine particle concentrations are high.

Extreme weather

This latest air quality advisory — one of a number of advisories issued this summer — comes as historic wildfires continue to burn in Quebec and follows a bout of severe flooding in the central Adirondacks last week.

“As if the rain coming out of the sky isn’t enough, if you start looking up tomorrow you’re going to see a similar situation to what we had a couple of weeks ago because of the air quality degradation resulting from the wildfires in Canada,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Sunday during a press conference about flooding. “We’re likely to be issuing a air quality alert for portions of our state. It seems to be projected to be mostly around western New York and the North Country at this time. But as we saw, it can shift very quickly and start developing in more populated areas.”

The advisory also comes one day after the state welcomed back eight forest rangers — including Crew Boss Gary Miller of Hamilton County, Logan Quinn of Essex County, David Corey of Essex and Franklin counties, Howard Kreft of Herkimer and Lewis counties, Joseph Pries of Dutchess and Putnam counties, John Scott of Suffolk County and Nathan Sprague of Cattaraugus County — who spent the past two weeks fighting wildfires in Canada. This was the third time this summer that the state has deployed a team of forest rangers to aid in the Canadian firefighting effort. Prior to this summer, the last time New York sent rangers to Canada to help with wildfires was in 2005.

Scientists say that the frequency of extreme weather — such as last week’s flooding and the ongoing wildfires — will increase as the climate warms.

Paul Smith’s College biology professor Curt Stager told the Enterprise last week that extreme weather events such as the recent flooding in Long Lake are “directly the result of burning fossil fuels on such a large scale for so long.”

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Ozone alert

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The DEC and DOH on Sunday also issued an ozone alert for Long Island and New York City.

“Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog,” a news release from both departments reads. “Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and are the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere.

“Ozone is not a direct emission, and is produced indirectly when sunlight chemically reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds from automobile exhaust and industrial emissions. … People, especially young children, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma) should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening). When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce your exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor.”

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Flood watch

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The eastern part of the state was under a flood watch Sunday evening, according to Hochul’s office.

Between Saturday night and Sunday evening, Suffolk County saw five inches of rain within a two-hour span, and Westchester and Putnam counties experienced rainfall rates of up to two inches per hour.

“Heavy rain was reported in several counties over the last 24 hours and we’re expecting more rain this evening into tomorrow,” state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said on Sunday. “My team is tracking the forecast and any weather impacts this system will have across the state.

“We are well prepared to deploy additional personnel and assets to respond to assist our local first responders with flash flood incidents,” Bray added.