Area remains under Code Orange on Wednesday as wildfire smoke persists
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A fiery sunset is seen on a hazy evening in Mount Carmel on August 5, 2025 as wildfire smoke blanketed east-central Pennsylvania.
SHENANDOAH – A Code Orange air quality action day continues Wednesday for the Sentinel area as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) says wildfire smoke is persisting.
Schuylkill, Carbon, Columbia, Luzerne, and Northumberland counties are included in Wednesday’s Code Orange Air Quality Action Day issued by DEP.
The agency says smoke from Canadian wildfires will persist across most of central and eastern PA during the day Wednesday and bring PM2.5 averages to the code orange range.
Sensitive groups of the population including children, older adults, and those with respiratory conditions should avoid heavy outdoor activity during this time.
On a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
For the air quality in the Shenandoah area, visit airnow.gov.
DEP asks residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day area to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:
- Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment;
- Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
- Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use.
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