Search

Air Quality Alert issued for southeastern Illinois

Monday, July 20, 2026 at 1:44 PM

By Steve Anderson

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) has issued an areawide Air Pollution Action Day Monday, July 20th for the entire GIANT-FM listening area including Lawrence, Crawford, Richland counties.

An areawide Air Pollution Action Day is declared when weather conditions are such that widespread ozone and or particulate levels are forecast to be at or above the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) category. Members of these groups include those who suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses and heart disease and may experience health effects when outdoors. The general public is less likely to be affected.

Areas inside the coverage area are likely to see smoke/particulates from Canadian wildfires to a varying degree and duration during the period with the smoke decreasing from southwest to northeast across the region.

More from Local News