Starting Now: Officials Urge Residents to Avoid Drive-Throughs and Cut Car Trips — Ozone Action Day Issued — Full Map Inside

Residents of Texas are being urged to avoid drive-throughs and cut back on car trips for health and environment-related reasons. According to officials, avoiding drive-throughs, sharing rides, and cutting back on car trips will help to reduce pollution during Ozone Action Days. This is an urgent action due to the dangerous ozone levels that have triggered quality alerts in several states in the U.S.

Why Ozone Action Days Are Declared

Ozone Action Days are declared by the National Weather Service (NWS) in conjunction with state environmental agencies. The days are declared due to air quality alerts when ozone levels on the ground or wildfire smoke reach unhealthy levels.

Ground-level ozone is a harmful pollutant, unlike the protective ozone layer found high in the atmosphere. Ground-level ozone forms when emissions from industries, vehicles, and sunlight react during hot and stagnant conditions.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also warns that exposure to these conditions can cause breathing difficulties, coughing, and inflammation of the respiratory tract. Children, older adults, people suffering from asthma, and those active outdoors are at greater risk from those unhealthy ozone levels.

Dallas-Fort Worth Under Ozone Alert

Officials in Texas have declared an Ozone Action Day for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which is home to over 7.8 million people. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said that high levels of ozone air pollution are likely to occur due to the current atmospheric conditions. They urged residents to:

1. Avoid idling in drive-through lanes.
2. Carpool, walk or cycle if possible.
3. Conserve energy in their households.
4. Tune their vehicles to reduce emissions.

Collectively, these simple steps could go a long way in preventing the ozone levels from reaching dangerous levels.

Air Alerts Impact Texas and Multiple Other States

Authorities also issued air quality alerts in parts of Colorado, Washington, Connecticut, Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, Oregon, and Arizona. While some states are highly likely to experience ozone pollution, others are likely to experience drifting wildfire smoke.

Here is a breakdown of the conditions to expect in the affected states:

• Washington – Mason County, near Seattle, faces warnings from the Bear Gulch fire.
• Connecticut- Western counties are under ozone advisories, including Hartford.
• Oregon and Arizona- These states could experience both wildfire smoke and dangerous ozone levels.
• Wyoming- The Dollar Lake wildfire is emitting smoke into the Upper Green River Basin and Western Wind River Mountains.
• Colorado – Wildfires such as the Lee Fire and Elk Fire have destroyed about 150,000 acres. Montezuma, Garfield, and Eagle Counties could experience heavy smoke.

What Experts Say

According to AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham, chemical reactions create ozone as a secondary pollutant. Sunlight and higher temperatures during warmer months create conducive conditions for these chemical reactions.

In an interview with Newsweek, medical experts like Jonathan Grigg, professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine at Queen Mary University of London, warned that inhaling particles is a leading cause of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Children are most at risk because their lungs are still developing.

Health Precautions to Take Immediately

Here are the steps you should take during Ozone Action Days according to authorities:

• Limit outdoor activities especially for sensitive groups such as children and older people.
• Keep windows closed to prevent smoke from entering houses.
• Use air conditioners if possible, but avoid settings that bring air from outside.
• Remain indoors if smoke is heavy and visibility falls below five miles.
• Postpone outdoor exercises until air quality improves.

Officials Discourage Drive-Throughs

Authorities say that drive-throughs cause vehicle idling, which is a major contributor to air pollution. When dozens of cars are waiting in line at fast food restaurants, they emit concentrated emissions in one spot. Officials have urged people to seek other means, such as walk-in orders, to limit pollution.

How Long Will Alerts Last?

Most warnings remain in effect through late Wednesday, August 27, 2025. Alerts in areas experiencing wildfire smoke could extend into Thursday morning. The National Weather Service and EPA’s AirNow interactive map updates forecasts every day, so you can check real-time pollution levels nationwide.