Smoke From Wildfires Prompts Howell-Area 'Code Red' Alert

HOWELL, NJ — The township has put out a health alert to residents here and in Farmingdale after air quality reached the "code red" range, local officials said.

Smoke from wildfires in nearby Ocean County has affected the entire region.

A wildfire in Jackson Township had grown to 50 acres Tuesday evening, according to a Patch report. It was in an area off East Commodore Boulevard, Cedar Swamp Road and Jackson Mills Road in Jackson, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Howell Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Victor Cook said that location puts the fire about 2.5 miles away from the Howell border.

The air quality for Howell Township and Farmingdale Borough for Wednesday reached a level of 177, Cook said in the alert. The code red range is 150 to 200, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index scale of ozone and particle pollution.

Based on the government index, that puts Howell in the code red or "unhealthy" level for all groups.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code orange air quality alert for Monmouth County.

In the state, a code orange air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children; people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases; and the elderly.

The local fires are taking place as communities across North America are experiencing worsening air pollution from Canadian wildfires.

The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors, according to officials.

Very unhealthy or hazardous air quality would have to reach index levels of 201 or above.