Regional air quality officials have cautioned San Joaquin Valley residents to avoid dusty conditions this afternoon and evening by staying indoors.

Gusty wind has produced areas of blowing dust throughout the Valley, said the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Officials said the problems are noticeable in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties, as well as western Madera, Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.

Microscopic specks of dust can aggravate lung disease, cause asthma attacks and acute bronchitis, and increase risk of respiratory infections.

In people with heart disease, short-term exposure to particle pollution has been linked to heart attacks and arrhythmias, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information, visit www.valleyair.org or call the nearest District office: Modesto (209) 557-6400, Fresno (559) 230-6000 and Bakersfield (661) 326-6900.

-- Mark Grossi