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Here’s where you can find out about the air quality near you as parts of the U.S. deals with smoke from Canadian wildfires.
WASHINGTON — The smoke from hundreds of ongoing wildfires in Canada has been causing problems across the United States and tens of millions of people are once again facing unhealthy air alerts.
An interactive map using data from AirNow offers a look at how all that smoke is impacting air quality across the country. AirNow reports air quality using the Air Quality Index or AQI. The color-coded system is meant to help people know whether the air is considered healthy or not.
Unfortunately, neither the 235 out-of-control Canadian wildfires nor the stuck weather pattern that's responsible for this mess of meteorological maladies are showing signs of relenting for the next week or longer, according to meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center.
What is Air Quality Index?
The Air Quality Index - or AQI - is the EPA's index for reporting on air quality. As the National Weather Service explains, it "tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you." The EPA calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
The main concern from the wildfire smoke is fine particle pollution, or PM2.5. These particles are tiny enough to get deep into the lungs. They can cause short-term problems like coughing and itchy eyes, and in the long run, can affect the lungs and heart.
What does hazardous air quality mean? What is a healthy air quality index?
The index runs from zero to 500. The higher the number, the worse the air quality. That range is broken down into six color-coded categories. Green or yellow — in the zero to 100 range — the air is pretty clear. Once it gets up to orange, the air quality could be a concern for sensitive groups like kids, older adults or those with health conditions.
In the red and purple zones, the air quality is considered unhealthy for everyone. And once it gets to maroon — at 301 or above — pollution levels are hazardous.
At these high levels, take precautions to avoid breathing in the dangerous air. That can mean reducing your outdoor activities, running air purifiers inside and wearing a well-fitting mask like an N95 when you’re outside.
Where is the worst air quality in the world today?
As of 8:30 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, Chicago had the worst air quality in the world, followed by Dubai and Washington, D.C., according to IQ Air's Air Quality Index. Minneapolis, Detroit and New York City were among the top 10.
What's the air quality near me?
You can check AirNow.gov, which updates every hour, for information on air quality. The site shows a real-time map of the air quality across the country and also includes a forecast for the day ahead. The map pulls in measurements from a network of air monitoring stations across the country. States and cities may also offer more local guidance.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
English (US) ·