Continuing hot weather has prompted the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to call another Spare the Air alert for Wednesday, air district officials announced this afternoon.

The hot weather combined with light winds are expected to lead to more smog from vehicle exhaust, so residents are encouraged to walk, bike, take public transit or carpool in an effort to reduce pollution.

The air district called the season’s fifth Spare the Air alert for Tuesday and another for today.

The heat wave is forecasted to persist throughout the week, so more Spare the Air alerts could be coming.

Smog can lead to health hazards like throat irritation, congestion and chest pain. People suffering respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis or emphysema could have their conditions aggravated, according to the air district.

By Bay City News Service

By Bay City News Service

By Bay City News Service

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5 Comments

  1. What’s the point in declaring a spare the air day if gardeners continue to use gas leaf blowers, which is against the law in Palo Alto on any day, by the way, in nearly 100 degrees weather when the air quality is extremely poor? Why are the cops not issuing citations for leaf blowing at least on spar the air days?

  2. Yesterday when my phone said it was 99, we had tree trimmers in our street. Not only were there multiple chain saws on the top of cherry pickers, there was a chipping machine. Not only was the noise unbearable, but the air was dreadful.

    Do our schools still have PE outside on days like these?

  5. Take it easy, and think about it: If those who hire gardeners are willing to pay for their gardeners to use rakes rather than leaf blowers or better yet ask that the leaves be left on the ground both for a natural mulch and fertilizer, leaves being the natural and finest fertilizer for their own trees and shrubs, the air would be far better for the gardeners, whose lungs, I do believe, should be our first concern.

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