UPDATE: Spare the Air Alert Extended to Monday, Heat Continues

Bay Area air quality is forecast to reach unhealthy levels for a third day in a row, prompting another Spare the Air alert for Monday, according to Bay Area air quality officials.

The alert, issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, means that air quality is expected to be poor and residents are advised to reduce driving and avoid outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day. An alert is already in effect today.

Monday's Spare the Air alert is the tenth of 2012. Residents are asked to avoid driving on Spare the Air days and find alternate transit options, including biking, carpooling or taking public transit.

Monday's temperatures are forecast to reach the mid 70s in San Francisco and the lower 90s inland, according to the National Weather Service.

The alert often coincides with warm weather but other factors contribute to poor air quality, officials said. Ozone can cause throat irritation, congestion, chest pain and inflammation of the lining of the lungs. Those with asthma, bronchitis and emphysema are especially vulnerable, as are young children, seniors and those with respiratory and heart conditions.

By Bay City News Service.