Hazardous Air Quality Having Large Impact On Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh and all of Pennsylvania are under a Code Purple air quality alert on Friday due to wildfire smoke originating from Canada and Minnesota.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement that today's air quality will be very unhealthy. While the Code Purple status is in effect people should avoid long or intense activities outdoors, while sensitive groups - such as children, the elderly and anyone with a respiratory illness - should avoid being outside at all.

City and Allegheny County officials have canceled numerous outdoor activities today. City pools will be closed and there will be no North Side Farmers Market, Cinema in the Park, Community Pop-Up Concert in Mellon or Roving Art Park.

Allegheny County pools are closed, as are the splash pads at Round Hill and Deer Lakes parks and the North and South Park golf courses.

Municipal pools in Dormont, Mt. Lebanon and Whitehall also will not open.

The weekend's two biggest activities in Pittsburgh, the Picklesburgh festival Downtown and the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix in Schenley Park, plan to go on as scheduled. Picklesburgh got under way on Thursday.

Air quality should improve on Saturday as showers and thunderstorms move into the region. According to the National Weather Service, there is a risk of severe storms and excessive rainfall.