The air out there has gotten pretty bad, no matter how you look at it.

A polluted fog has blanketed northern Utah valleys for days.

And state and federal forecasters, whose health advisories have focused on "sensitive" people so far, now agree the air is "unhealthy" for everyone who is thinking about prolonged exercise outdoors.

Wednesday looks like the best chance for northern Utah to escape its dubious distinction as having the nation's worst air quality. That's when a storm is expected to lift the high-pressure lid off the valley bowls and stir in some clean air.

"We're somewhat at the mercy of the weather because of the nature of the mountains we live in," said Bo Call, director of air monitoring for the state.

On the EPA's AIRNow web page, a roundup of air quality nationwide, northern Utah counties topped the list of pollution hot spots during the weekend. On its Air Quality Index scale, this year's first episode of foul air is expected to worsen today.

Scott Jackson, of EPA's Denver office, said even with the recent high values of fine particulates -- the soot typically blamed for Utah's winter pollution episodes -- the air in Utah is not so bad that the agency has issued a "don't go outside" warning for Utahns.

"Our forecasts give them a heads-up," he said.

And the latest episode has been just that, an episode rather than a long-term trend.

For local activists, including the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, the pollution spike provides a backdrop to raise public awareness about a range of issues, including a new air-pollution permit for Kennecott Utah Copper's mines, new federal ozone standards, a Nevada water-rights dispute and efforts to shift gas-tax money toward public transit that would help take cars off the road.

"You have to wonder how bad do things have to get before people embrace change -- and by people, I mean the Legislature," said Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. "We're of the position this is not acceptable."

Moench said more scientific studies show PM 2.5 pollution affects everyone, not only those in the "sensitive groups," the very young, the very old and people with heart and lung problems. He said real solutions to Utah's poor air-quality should not be restricted to wishing for better weather or driving into the mountains above the pollution. Real solutions will happen when people insist on better controls through state regulation, he said.

In addition, added Bryce Bird of the Utah Division of Air Quality, people can do their own part to protect the air.

The state lists 50 tips on its Choose Clean Air Web site. You can read them at http://www.cleanair.utah.gov fahys@sltrib.com