“The AQI is not reliable for this situation,” said Anthony Wexler, director of the Air Quality Research Center at the University of California-Davis.
Rather than relying solely on the Air Quality Index, Wexler recommends checking out PurpleAir Map, which tells you where the plumes of smoke are in real time.
The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is the primary system used to warn the public when air pollution is dangerous.
“The wind is spreading a lot of ash that is not detected in AQI,” said Nahal Mogharabi, who works with the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Public health officials say it’s hard to predict where ash will travel or how air quality will be affected by harsh winds, but L.A. County residents should be alert.
Angelenos who are still bothered by the smoke odor might be shocked to learn that this week’s L Air Quality Index readings went back to “healthy” or “moderate” levels. 1. County, but they shouldn’t be relieved just yet.
Although useful, public health officials and experts say the AQI does not fully account for the health risks associated with high winds and destructive urban fires.
The AQI does not measure the precise amount of certain harmful particles that are currently in the air, such as asbestos, copper, or lead from burned-out buildings, because it is based on common air pollutants like smog and tiny particulate matter.
Anthony Wexler, the director of the University of California-Davis’ Air Quality Research Center, stated that the AQI is unreliable in this particular scenario. Also, it is invisible to you. Thus, observing the surroundings and stating, “Oh, it looks, looks clear.”. You can’t learn anything from that. “”.
Residents must take into account factors other than the AQI metric, such as the toxicity of the smoke and ash entering their neighborhoods, in order to comprehend the health risks and maintain their safety.
Instead of depending only on the Air Quality Index, Wexler suggests using PurpleAir Map, which provides real-time information on the locations of smoke plumes.
“Take action to protect yourself if the plume is where you are or is approaching you,” he advised.
Complete lists of recommendations on how to reduce your health risks have been made available by local health officials.
How much is the AQI?
The main tool used to alert the public to dangerous levels of air pollution is the Air Quality Index, or AQI. Data gathered from 5,000 air monitors nationwide served as its foundation. The index is color-coded and has a range of 0 to 500.
Throughout L, the AQI ranged from 30 to 60 as of Monday night. 1. County — within the “good” or “moderate” range, based on South Coast Air Quality Management District data.
Many people in the Los Angeles area may find that contradictory, especially in the vicinity of Altadena in the east and Pacific Palisades on the westside, where firefighters are still battling enormous fires.
the things that AQI doesn’t gauge.
According to Wexler, the AQI measures airborne particulate matter but not the level of toxicity of those particles. It doesn’t quantify the precise levels of asbestos, copper, lead, or plastic that you breathe in when you’re outside.
Wexler stated that the gases and particles in the air are far more harmful than usual at the moment because they are from burning houses that contain a variety of substances that aren’t typically present in our air. Additionally, that stuff is undoubtedly far more toxic than the typical airborne contaminants. “.”.
According to experts, it also ignores the majority of ash particles, which are usually too big to be picked up by air quality devices but contain harmful chemicals that could harm human health.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Nahal Mogharabi stated, “The wind is spreading a lot of ash that is not detected in AQI.”. “Usually, these ash particles—whether in the air or on outdoor surfaces—are visible to the unaided eye. “”.
The smoke contains the same harmful substances as the ash.
“A lot of chemicals are involved, including asbestos, toxic metals, and plastics,” stated Mary Johnson, a research scientist at Harvard T. H. Chan Public Health School. Many things in our surroundings have the potential to be toxic when they catch fire. “.”.
Angelenos may therefore still be exposed to substances that are detrimental to their health even when the AQI appears to be “good.”.
Wexler stated, “Being around so much stuff and all the black smoky crap is really bad stuff to be inhaling.”.
additional metrics.
The experts said the reduced smoke from the fires was one of the reasons AQI levels had stabilized early this week.
“Satellite imagery, webcam imagery, and local fine particle pollution monitors all show a significant decrease in smoke production from the Eaton and Palisades fires,” Mogharabi stated. Sadly, this could alter if the region experiences strong Santa Ana winds again. “.”.
L. . A. When county residents see ash, smell smoke, or are in an area with high AQI levels, they should exercise caution. Therefore, avoid exercising, keep your children inside, put on your N95 mask, and plug in your air filter.
For L., the county’s Department of Public Health issued a local health emergency. A. According to County late Friday, the risks are particularly high if you are over 65, pregnant, have children, or have heart or lung conditions.
Additionally, following your nose is marginally more effective than depending solely on your visual senses when it comes to using your senses to identify health risks.
Wexler stated, “Your smell is a better metric.”. For the simple reason that you can smell it before you see it. Therefore, if it has a smoke-like smell, it is present or on the way. “”.
Wind will worsen the situation.
Though they won’t be as strong as they were last week, when they hit 80 to 100 mph, winds are predicted to pick up on Tuesday. This week, wind gusts of between 55 and 70 mph are predicted by the National Weather Service.
Large areas of L are under a red flag warning. A. and Ventura counties on Tuesday morning, with plans to continue until Wednesday afternoon.
It’s difficult to forecast where ash will travel or how strong winds will impact air quality, according to public health officials, but L. A. . People in the county should be on guard. People who live near active wildfires are typically more likely to inhale toxins, but wind direction also plays a significant role.
Essentially, it is preferable to have the wind blowing away from you.
According to L’s health officer Muntu Davis, “smoke and ash can harm everyone, even those who are healthy.”. A. The county.