Smoke from Canadian wildfires turned much of the Midwest into an air quality hazard zone on July 16, with the Milwaukee area registering some of the unhealthiest air in the country, and some popular Wauwatosa outdoor activities are feeling the effect.
TOSA Pool at Hoyt Park announced in the morning that it would not open on July 16 due to the poor air quality. The temporary closure could last as long as the Air Quality Index remains in the "hazardous" range for Wauwatosa.
"We make the decision based on the overall safety risks for both our patrons and our staff. We hope to reopen sometime tomorrow, but will be looking to the AQI for guidance to ensure we are being safe and responsible," TOSA Pool Executive Director Elsa Knysak told Tosa Forward News by email.
[Update: TOSA Pool remained closed for much of July 17 but reopened at 4:30 p.m. as the local air quality improved.]
Milwaukee County Parks announced separately its pools would remain closed July 16 because of the wildfire pollution. Though Hoyt is a county park, the pool there is operated by the nonprofit Friends of Hoyt Park & Pool.
The smoke from Canada has turned the air hazardous across a wide swath of the United States, from Minnesota to New York City. At one point, Milwaukee was registering 600 on the Air Quality Index, double the 300 threshold deemed hazardous. By midafternoon, Wauwatosa's reading on AirNow.gov was about 560, posing health threats to everyone and elevated risk to children and people with lung diseases, such as asthma.
"Wildfire smoke irritates your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. It can make it hard to breathe and make you cough or wheeze," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns on its website. Stay indoors, it advises, and keep the smoke outside when possible.
The National Weather Service and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on July 16 issued air quality advisories for Wisconsin, warning of unhealthy and hazardous air across nearly the entire state. The advisory was expected to remain in place until noon July 17.
Knysak said if conditions improve, TOSA Pool could reopen July 17, likely later in the day than normal. "Safety is our number one priority," she said.
The Wauwatosa School District also has implemented restrictions on activities in response to the poor air quality. All outdoor activities have been moved indoors or canceled.
Jessie Tuttle, the district's director of strategic communications, provided Tosa Forward News with a chart outlining the district's protocol when air quality worsens. At very unhealthy or hazardous levels — when the Air Quality Index tops 200 — the district allows no outdoor classes, programs or events.
At lower pollution levels, from 100 to 200, the district allows activities to proceed but with certain precautions, such as time limits or additional rest breaks.
Conditions may improve in the short term, but don't expect the skies to fully clear up soon. National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Wagner told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that we could be stuck with some smoky haze into the weekend.
"These northerly wind patterns are typical for this time of year, and they might bring even more smoke down to the surface," Wagner said. "If we want relief soon, the fires need to stop."
