Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke for Monday, July 20, 2026, for Lawrence, Butler, Armstrong, Indiana, Cambria, Beaver, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Greene, Fayette, and Somerset counties.
On Monday, a temperature inversion in Pennsylvania’s western counties will hold residual wildfire smoke near the surface, pushing PM2.5 levels into 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.
Residents are encouraged to check www.airnow.gov for current conditions in their area, as local conditions could be more severe.
Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Alert areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:
- Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment; and
- Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all. An Air Quality Alert is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher.
For more information about air quality, visit DEP’s Air Quality Partnership Home Page and EPA’s AirNow.
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