Due to the wildfires occurring to our north, smoky conditions will continue to linger in our area through the week. As of Tuesday, many parts of our area are under a code red for air quality, which means the air will be unhealthy for everyone. This includes those that are sensitive to it, such as elderly persons, children, and people with heart or lung disease.
So what do the various colors mean, and how do I know when its a good time to be outside? We’re On Your Side and we broke down the Air Quality Alert colors below

0 to 50 Good Green
51 to 100 Moderate Yellow
101 to 150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Orange
151 to 200 Unhealthy Red
201 to 300 Very Unhealthy Purple

This information comes from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s Air Protection Branch. If we’re under a code green, this means the air is good for everyone. Conversely, code black means everyone should avoid being outside as much as possible.
South Carolina DHEC has a few tips to make sure that you’re staying healthy in these otherwise unhealthy air conditions, which include:
Most people, including individuals with respiratory health issues, should limit time spent outdoors to avoid the smoke.
Take measures to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside.
Keep doors and windows closed.
If you are operating an air conditioner, keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside.
In your car, make sure you have your air re-circulator running to avoid smoke getting into your air flow.