Spare the Air Alert issued for Sunday

Air quality officials have issued a Spare the Air Alert for Sunday, when ozone levels in portions of the region are expected to reach unhealthy levels.

“A high-pressure system is moving into the Bay Area which is going to include light winds and hot temperatures, so any smog that forms will stay at ground level,” Tina Landis, a spokeswoman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said Saturday.

High levels of ozone pollution in smog are harmful to breathe, especially for young children, seniors and those with respiratory and heart conditions, the district said.

The areas most affected will include the Tri-Valley in Alameda County and much of Contra Costa County, as well as the Santa Clara Valley, including San Jose, Landis said.

Areas in the North Bay, Peninsula, and much of the coastal East Bay including Oakland and Fremont will be less affected Sunday.

This is the 18th alert issued for the summer season this year, Landis said.

Multiple hot days in a row are contributing to the buildup, Landis said.

The air district says that “exhaust from vehicles on Bay Area roads accounts for more than half of the air pollution in the region,” so residents should consider driving less to reduce smog and improve air quality.

“Change your daily commute by carpooling, van pooling, taking transit, biking or walking instead of driving alone,” the district said in a statement.