An Air Quality alert is in effect from midnight tonight to midnight Friday night.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality in Raleigh has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulates.

The counties most susceptible to air quality issues are Rowan and Iredell counties.

Numerous large wildfires with the southern Appalachian mountain region are producing large smoke plumes. These smoke plumes are expected to create unhealthy breathing conditions where the smoke is most concentrated.

An Air Quality Action Day means that fine particulates concentrating within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy values.

Code Orange means the air will be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as older adults, children, active people and those with heart or lung disease. Limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.