Fireworks planned for President Donald Trump's July Fourth celebration on the National Mall are expected to cause hazardous air pollution around the Mall and "very unhealthy" conditions across central Washington, D.C., according to internal National Park Service documents reviewed by The Washington Post.The show is scheduled for Saturday night as part of the 250th anniversary of American independence.George Thurston, a professor of medicine and population health at New York University, told the Post that people attending or living near the display should reduce their exposure to the smoke."People should use the precautionary principle, which is to minimize exposures," Thurston said.
"An N95 mask would be a good idea."Internal Park Service documents projected hazardous air pollution around the National Mall from President Donald Trump’s July Fourth fireworks show.(Getty Images)FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAYThe fireworks show is part of the Salute of America 250 Celebration & Fireworks, which the official Freedom 250 event page says will feature 850,000 shells launched from 10 sites, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, eight Potomac River barges and West Potomac Park.
Organizers list the fireworks show as starting at 10:30 p.m.and lasting about 40 minutes.The White House promoted the event as a centerpiece of the nation's anniversary celebration, saying more than a million people will gather on the National Mall for Trump's keynote remarks, entertainment and "the largest pyrotechnics display in the history of the world."The internal modeling reviewed by the Post projected that, in the most likely scenario, the show would generate between 600 and 1,200 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter around the Mall.
A worst-case scenario would exceed 2,000 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the report.The 850,000-firework display could leave central Washington, D.C., with "very unhealt...