This summer, communities throughout the Midwest experienced very unhealthy and hazardous air quality. People were recommended to limit their time outdoors. Many outdoor facilities were closed. This included public swimming pools, beaches, zoos, and amusement parks. Outdoor events such as street festivals, concerts, and sporting events were also cancelled. Detroit, Michigan; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Columbus, Ohio; and Chicago, Illinois, were some of the communities affected.
Photo Credit: Sipa USA/Alamy Stock Photo
This satellite photo shows how fires from far away can spread smoke, causing health concerns throughout the United States.
Why was the air quality so bad? This summer Canada experienced very large, very dangerous wildfires in their forests. These fires were so bad that the smoke drifted through the Midwest. Wildfires have caused similar problems in previous years through the Midwest and the West Coast of the United States. Wildfires are not only an issue in North America. This year, Spain and France also experienced large wildfires.
Wildfire smoke contains pollutants such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter. These pollutants cause health risks. Otherwise, healthy people might experience itchy eyes or sore throats. Long-term exposure to unhealthy air can lead to asthma and respiratory diseases [conditions that affect people’s ability to breathe]. For people already suffering from respiratory diseases, hazardous air quality could be deadly.
Photo Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using GOES 16 imagery courtesy of NOAA and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).
This map shows air quality levels from Moderate to Hazardous in the Midwest on a day when many people were advised to stay indoors.
Who is responsible for monitoring air quality in the United States? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a government department that focuses on making sure the environment is healthy. It was established in 1970 by President Richard Nixon. The EPA developed a tool called the Air Quality Index (AQI). It measures how full of pollutants the air is. The EPA has six levels of air quality. They have coded them by color. Green is healthy. Yellow is moderate. Orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Red is unhealthy for everyone. Purple is very unhealthy. Maroon is hazardous, and should be considered an emergency.
Photo Credit: AirNow
