Mass. officials announce statewide air quality alert due to Canadian wildfires

A hazy early morning sun rises over Boston Tuesday. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires is causing air quality to be affected in Massachusetts.Joanne Rathe/Globe Staff

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has issued a statewide air quality alert this week because of smoke from Canadian wildfires.

The air quality alert is in effect until midnight Wednesday, MassDEP said in a statement Monday.

Smoke was expected to enter Western Massachusetts and spread east overnight and early on Tuesday.

Elevated levels of smoke are forecast to remain in the state for much of Tuesday, the statement said.

Air quality is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups, the statement said, including people with heart or lung disease such as asthma, older adults, children, teenagers, and people who are active outdoors. People with lung disease or heart disease are at greater risk from exposure to ozone.

Members of sensitive groups are advised to reduce outdoor exertion, take more breaks, perform less intense activities, follow asthma action plans, keep quick relief medicine handy, and watch for symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath, the statement said.

Forecasts and real-time data can be found at MassDEP’s MassAir Online website.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires is creating a haze over the sun as it rises over Cambridge Tuesday morning.Joanne Rathe/Globe Staff