California Wildfire Smoke - California Healthline

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow website displays air quality with its “air quality index,” or AQI. On a scale from 0 to 500, the index is divided into six categories: good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous. The readings are based on measurements of five kinds of pollution tracked by the EPA, including ozone and particulate matter.

In this case, the AQI readings reflect the density of fine particulate matter in the air full of wildfire smoke.

On this scale, readings above 100 mean the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including people with heart or lung disease, older people and children. Readings above 150 are considered unhealthy for everyone.

For more, read Harriet Rowan’s coverage.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

<h1>California Wildfire Smoke</h1>
<div>		<time class="posted-on" datetime="2018-11-27T02:00:10-08:00">
			November 27, 2018		</time>
		</div>
<p>The U.S. <a href="https://airnow.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow website</a> displays air quality with its “air quality index,” or AQI. On a scale from 0 to 500, the index is divided into six categories: good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous. The readings are <a href="https://www3.epa.gov/airnow/aqi_brochure_02_14.pdf">based on measurements of five kinds of pollution</a> tracked by the EPA, including ozone and particulate matter.</p><p>In this case, the AQI readings reflect the density of fine particulate matter in the air full of wildfire smoke.</p><p>On this scale, readings above 100 mean the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including people with heart or lung disease, older people and children. Readings above 150 are considered unhealthy for everyone.</p><p>For more, read <a href="https://californiahealthline.org/news/smoke-filled-snapshot-california-wildfire-generates-dangerous-air-quality-for-millions/">Harriet Rowan’s coverage</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/california-wildfire-smoke/?share=facebook">				Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)				Facebook			</a></li><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/california-wildfire-smoke/?share=linkedin">				Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)				LinkedIn			</a></li><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/california-wildfire-smoke/?share=x">				Click to share on X (Opens in new window)				X			</a></li><li><a href="mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20California%20Wildfire%20Smoke&body=https%3A%2F%2Fcaliforniahealthline.org%2FMjk4MzM5&share=email">				Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)				Email			</a></li><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/california-wildfire-smoke/#print?share=print">				Click to print (Opens in new window)				Print			</a></li></ul><em><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News</a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about <a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a>.</em><p><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/morning-briefing/">Subscribe</a> to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing.</p>

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