The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is urging people to cut back on firework use this Independence Day.

Anthony Presto is with the agency and says air quality gets progressively worse on July 4, and tends to spike into the unhealthy range at around 11 p.m.

“Personal fireworks – which emit particulate matter close to the ground, where we’re breathing it – create an unnecessary impact on public health,” he said.

Presto says people with respiratory conditions, the elderly and children tend to be affected worst by the bad air.

– Anthony Pollreisz