EPA says record-setting heat has affected air quality levels [Video]

TOLEDO, Ohio — With the summer heat comes sweating and the need to drink extra water to stay hydrated.

But according to state officials, it also plays a role in the air we breathe, and in northwest Ohio, the air has taken a hit.

“What we’re looking at right now is ground-level ozone, more than the particulate that we saw from the (2023 Canadian) wildfires,” said Anne Vogel, director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Ground-level Ozone, according to the U.S. EPA, can be dangerous, as it is the main ingredient for smog.

The Ohio EPA tracks air quality levels with the ‘AirNow’ air quality monitoring system, which detects levels nationwide.

Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan this week were labeled under the ‘moderate’ category (51-100 AQI), leaving the question: how does this happen?

“You have things like …