SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — On Tuesday, and for the eighth time this year, the city of Tijuana was under an “orange level” air quality alert.
Young and older residents with heart or lung diseases such as asthma were asked to avoid going outdoors.
The public was also warned about the possibility of eye, ear, nose and throat irritations as well as episodes of difficulty breathing due to the polluted air.
People were told to avoid driving or exercising outdoors.
If possible, residents were advised to water down patios and exposed surfaces to keep dust levels down.
The “orange alert” was issued by Baja California’s Secretary of the Environment and Sustainable Development. It was rescinded at 2 p.m. local time.
The poor air quality is blamed on seasonal winds from the east that carry a lot of dust, while smoke from several fires in the area is also adding to the problem.
There are concerns with people on the U.S. side of the border having to breathe the polluted air, but the Air Pollution Control District in San Diego is reporting moderate air quality in the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa areas located immediately north of the border from Tijuana.
Last year, 16 orange level alerts were issued in Tijuana, primarily in the months of January, September, October, November and December.
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