The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) says that air quality in southern Taiwan and the outlying island of Kinmen were poor on Saturday.
EPA data shows that in the early afternoon, concentrations of fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) reached very high levels in Kinmen as well as parts of Kaohsiung and Yunlin County.
The Health Promotion Administration is advising people in affected areas to wear surgical masks when spending time outdoors. The administration is also urging the elderly and people with allergies and respiratory or heart disease to avoid outdoor activity in areas with poor air quality.