Smog over San Francisco in late August.
By Bay City News Service
High temperatures and light winds forecast in the Bay Area for Thursday have prompted the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue a Spare the Air alert for smog.
Thursday's alert is the 13th the air district has issued for the summer Spare the Air season. The alerts are issued whenever weather conditions are expected to combine with motor vehicle exhaust to create
elevated levels of ozone, or smog.
On Spare the Air days, the air district encourages people to avoid solo vehicle trips and to find other alternatives such as sharing rides, taking transit or biking or walking.
However, outdoor exercise is only advised in the early morning hours when ozone concentrations are lower, according to the air district.
People can find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect by registering for emails at www.sparetheair.org, calling (800) HELP-AIR, downloading the Spare the Air smartphone app or connecting with Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.