Smoke Ready Week 2020

Stay Informed about Air Quality

An easily accessible way to understand air quality is to use the AQI. AQI stands for Air Quality Index. It’s a simple way to communicate air quality and how it might affect your health. For a more detailed explanation of AQI and how it correlates to pollutant levels, read this and this.

An AQI value of 100 is the threshold where air quality crosses over from “moderate” to “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Check out the image below to see what the values are, who needs to be concerned at each level, and what they should do.

EPA AQI Categories

 

There are lots of resources available to help you find out if there are nearby wildfires and if the air quality in your area is deteriorated. Here’s a list of some to check out and bookmark:

·        AirNow - https://fire.airnow.gov/

o   Shows you air quality and satellite detected fires on a single map.

·        AirNow Enviroflash - http://www.enviroflash.info/signup.cfm

o   Sign up using your email or telephone number to receive air quality forecasts for your area. You can choose the minimum air quality level at which you want to receive forecasts.

·       EPA Smoke Sense Mobile App – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sti.com.ewhsa&hl=en_US

o   Find this in Google Play or the Apple App Store. Search for “EPA’s SmokeSense.” Enter your zip code and get air quality information, nearby fires, and other important smoke and health information.

·       Daily Air Quality Forecasts and Outdoor Open Burning Map – http://www2.deq.idaho.gov/air/AQIPublic/Map/OutdoorBurn

o   Provides a daily air quality forecast and informs you of any open burning bans in your area.

·        InciWeb - https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

o   InciWeb is an interagency all-risk incident information management system that provides a single source for incident related information for the public.

·        MODIS Today - http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/

o   Satellite imagery of fires and smoke plumes when visible

Check back throughout the week as we give you lots of tips on how to prepare yourself for a smoky summer and protect your health!