Richmond hits Code Purple as wildfire smoke blankets area: 'Stay inside'

RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond residents are noticing the effects of dangerous air quality as hazy skies blanket the area. More than 130 million Americans are under some sort of air quality alert as the event stretches from the upper Midwest through the Mid-Atlantic region, and forecasters expect the health concerns and hazy skies to continue through the weekend.

The most severe conditions — Code Black, or Hazardous — are concentrated around the Chicago and Detroit areas and parts of the upper Midwest. Code Purple conditions extend from there through Pittsburgh and down through the Mid-Atlantic, with Richmond sitting at the southern edge of that zone. Hampton Roads and surrounding areas are under a Code Red designation, with conditions improving further south toward the Carolinas and Georgia.

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One Richmond man described the unusual conditions.

"You could stare directly at the sun... It was like looking at the moon or something, just like an orange, hazy globe," he said.

The effects go beyond what the eye can see.

"It's a lot harder to breathe in general. I did a workout this morning and it was not great," another person said.

Kristin Stumpf, a meteorologist with Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality, explained what is driving the dangerous conditions.

"The pollution that we're looking at are... very fine particulate matter," Stumpf said. "It's so small that when you breathe in, it gets deeper into your lungs and so it can stick around a bit longer than what you would normally breathe in during the day."

Stumpf said most people will feel the effects.

"The average person is going to notice some respiratory irritation, maybe some coughing or if they're doing a strenuous activity, it may be a bit harder to breathe," Stumpf said.

Under the Code Purple designation, DEQ says active children and adults should stay away from strenuous outdoor activities for the duration of the day. Those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution — particularly people living with heart or lung disease, including asthma — should remain indoors entirely, scale back the intensity of any necessary activities, and take frequent breaks. People managing asthma should have their action plans ready and keep quick-relief medication within reach.

Stumpf says people most at risk include those with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid all physical activity outdoors, while everyone else should limit exposure as much as possible.

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DEQ also advises all residents to remain indoors with windows and doors sealed. Those who must go outside are encouraged to wear a well-fitted N95 mask and keep physical activity to a minimum. Respiratory experts from VCU Children's Hospital of Richmond recommend those at risk or who have severe cases of asthma stay indoors and take required medications while the smoke is at its worst.

Some residents say they are already bracing for the impact.

"Like a lot of people, we have seasonal allergies, so I assume some of us will be blowing our noses a lot more," a resident said.

The Richmond Ambulance Authority says it has seen a slight uptick in certain call types over the past two days compared to the same period last week, which may be connected to the declining air quality. Calls for breathing problems and chest pain are trending higher than last week's pace, and Friday's numbers are particularly notable — with the day only halfway through, RAA had already received a volume of calls in both categories that would typically represent a full 24-hour period.

"We would advise everyone to stay inside, but especially those with health conditions including breathing problems and heart conditions," an RAA spokesperson said. "The poor air quality can put added stress on a person's lungs can cause your body to work harder, which can lead to more problems."

Richmond Animal Care and Control is reminding pet owners that wildfire smoke air quality advisories extend to their animals as well. Pets should be kept inside as much as possible, with outdoor time limited to short necessary trips. Certain animals face heightened risk, including flat-faced breeds such as pugs and bulldogs, birds, and any pet already managing a health condition.

Some relief may be on the way. Stumpf says conditions should begin to improve by late Saturday afternoon as cleaner air moves in from the south.

"We may still be a bit hazy in the morning, but throughout the day our air will be coming a bit more from the south where the air is a little bit cleaner and that will help clean out the Richmond area as well so by the late afternoon we should be a little bit better situation," Stumpf said.

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.