China's Hebei province, home to the country's largest steel cities, issued an orange-level pollution warning on Friday as a wave of smog is expected to sweep across the region.
The orange alerts, the second-largest after red in China's four-tier pollution alert system, require industrial companies to cut production by at least 30 percent.
The warning will take effect in 11 Hebei cities at 8:00 am (0000 GMT) on Saturday, the Hebei Environmental Protection Bureau said.
Moderate to severe pollution is expected to prevail in the central and southern parts of Hebei, which surrounds the capital Beijing, from Feb.17 and could continue until around Feb.22, the statement said.
The affected areas include Tangshan, China's largest steel city, the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang and another major steel center, Handan.
Cities should strengthen controls and inspections, but may themselves lift emergency measures when air quality improves, the statement said.
Smog appears in Hebei steel province of China
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