The city of Wichita has issued an air quality advisory, saying it has reached the “unhealthy” level.

The air quality is being affected by smoke from the wildfires that have been burning in the western United States.   The city said in a message on Twitter Monday that “A higher than average presence of particulate matter” is affecting air quality.

This could create issues for senior citizens, children and people with chronic health problems.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued guidelines for people to protect themselves when the air quality is considered unhealthy:

• Healthy people should limit or avoid strenuous outdoor exercise.
• People with respiratory or heart-related illness should remain indoors.
• People who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms in particular respiratory or heart-related symptoms, who are currently infected or recently recovered, should remain indoors.
• Help keep indoor air clean by closing doors and windows and running the air conditioners with air filters.
• Keep hydrated by drinking lots of water.
• Contact your doctor if you have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath or severe fatigue.

Current air quality across the U.S. can be viewed online at https://fire.airnow.gov/