Wednesday: Spare the Air, Day 3

A third consecutive Spare the Air alert has been issued in the Bay Area for Wednesday, air quality officials said Tuesday.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality, issued the alert for Wednesday because of a prolonged stretch of high temperatures and low winds.

The weather conditions combined with motor vehicle exhaust are expected to cause unhealthy ozone pollution in the Bay Area, district officials said.

"The onoing heat wave is expected to create unhealthy air quality through this week," air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said in a statement."

"To reduce air pollution that creates summertime smog and congestion on Bay Area roads, it's crucial that commuters find a better way to work than driving alone," Broadbent said.

Residents are encouraged by the air district to walk, bike, carpool or take public transit to school or work instead of driving alone.

There is no free transit offered Wednesday and no wood burning ban is in place, district officials said.

To find out if a Spare the Air alert has been issued, people can visit www.sparetheair.org, call (800) HELP-AIR, download a Spare the Air smartphone app or connect with Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.

--By Bay City News