Darien Police Issue Advisory On Poor Air Quality

DARIEN, CT — As smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to blanket the Northeast region, the Darien Police Department has issued an advisory on the poor air quality conditions in the area.

"The Darien Police Department and other town officials are very aware of the smoke condition across the entire town due to the Canadian wildfires," police said. "We are currently receiving several calls for 'smoke in the area' and have received information that the conditions are expected to worsen throughout the afternoon."

The CT Department of Health advises residents to keep all windows and doors closed to keep smoke outdoors. Residents should avoid any outside activity if at all possible.

"The health effects for some people may include chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, eye irritation, chest pain, dizziness or lightheadedness, and other symptoms," said DPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani in a news release. "We recommend that you avoid any outdoor exercise today if you have an underlying health condition. Be sure to have your medications readily available and seek medical attention if these issues worsen."

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT-DEEP) monitors the state’s air quality and posts air quality forecasts each day on the Air Quality Index (AQI).

Residents can subscribe to the Air Quality Index here.