Forest Preserve, park districts cancel Friday activities due to air quality hazards

The Will County Forest Preserve District and several local park districts have officially cancelled activities throughout Friday afternoon and evening due to ongoing air quality dangers created by wildfire smoke.

Poor air quality has spurred a list of event cancellations and facility closures on Friday for the second day in a row as air currents from the north have carried heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires into the U.S. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency extended its Air Quality Alert through Friday night, issuing a Red Air Pollution Action Day for Friday after portions of northern Illinois experienced very unhealthy air quality Thursday because of smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota. The alert covers much of northern Illinois , including Winnebago , Boone , McHenry, Lake , Ogle , Lee , DeKalb , Kane , DuPage , La Salle , Kendall , Grundy , Cook and Will counties .

While computer models suggest smoke concentrations should slowly decrease on Friday, forecasters said the region’s average air quality is expected to remain in the Unhealthy category through the day. In Will County, a number of activities for the day have been called off, including events from the Will County Forest Preserve District. The Surf-N-Turf Concert scheduled for Friday at Monee Reservoir and the Kickin’ It at the Iron Works program at the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site have both been cancelled for the forest preserve described as “hazardous air quality.”

The Joliet Park District has also announced its concert in the park scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Preservation Park has also been cancelled for air quality reasons. The Bolingbrook Park District has also cancelled all its outdoor programming until 3 p.m. Friday and announced that Pelican Harbor Outdoor Aquatic Park will remain closed until at least that time. A further announcement will be made by 2 p.m. if activities will be resumed.

“The health and safety of our community remain our top priority,” the Bolingbrook Park District said. “We appreciate your understanding.” The Plainfield Park District has also announced the closure of the Ottawa Street Pool during afternoon open swim hours.

A determination about the evening’s swim lessons will be made at 3 p.m. “The Illinois Department of Public Health advises those with health issues, including heart or lung conditions, older adults, pregnant women, children, and anyone who works or spends long hours outdoors to take precautions,” the Forest Preserve District said in its announcement. Some of the recommended steps include: