Why Knowing Your AQI is Essential in Today’s Wildfire Era

Explore how tracking your local AQI can help you stay proactive.

In 2024, roughly 64,897 wildfires burned nearly 8.9 million acres across the United States¹, destroying homes, leveling communities, and disrupting countless lives.

Once limited to the hot, dry months, wildfires are now a year-round threat, posing a near-constant risk to our environment, health, and well-being.

Today, around 115 million people, roughly one-third of all Americans, live in wildfire-prone areas², up dramatically from roughly one in six just a few short years ago³. As fire zones expand, so too do the dangers that wildfire smoke poses to our everyday lives.

And while most people assume the threat remains primarily outside, nothing could be further from the truth. Research shows that depending on the severity of the fires, the smallest and most dangerous particles easily infiltrate indoor spaces and can linger for weeks⁴.

Even worse, these ultra-fine pollutants easily bypass the body’s natural defenses, traveling deep into the lungs and bloodstream, where they may trigger a wide range of potential health issues.

For this reason, it’s more important than ever to regularly monitor your community’s air quality using the Air Quality Index (AQI) as your guide. Understanding your local AQI helps you know when and how to take action, which we’ll explore in the sections ahead.

Why Wildfire Smoke Is So Dangerous

With wildfire smoke, what you see isn’t always what you get. That’s because some of the most harmful wildfire pollutants are completely invisible.

According to the EPA, wildfire smoke contains a toxic mixture of pollutants, but the two most prominent among them are ozone and fine particulate matter, specifically PM2.5, particles so small that thousands could fit across the width of a single human hair.

The Invisible Threat: PM2.5

You’ve probably heard the term PM2.5, and there’s a good reason for it. These tiny particles, measuring 2.5 microns or less, are so small that thousands could fit across the width of a single human hair. Their size makes them especially dangerous. Because of their microscopic size, PM2.5 can travel deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and wreak havoc on the body, causing respiratory illness⁵, cardiovascular disease⁶, and neurological problems⁷.

PM2.5 is a major focus for health experts because it doesn’t just stay near the fire. These microscopic particles can linger in the air for hours, or even days, and travel long distances, exposing people far from the wildfire itself. That’s why monitoring air quality and taking steps to reduce exposure is so important whenever wildfire smoke is in the air.

The Problem with Ozone

Ozone is a gas that most of us are familiar with from our science class as the protective layer shielding us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. While ozone is not a direct byproduct of wildfires, the chemicals wildfires release, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), react with sunlight and other pollutants to create ground-level ozone.

While ozone molecules are larger and don’t enter the bloodstream directly, when inhaled, they react with fluids in the lungs’ airways, leading to health issues ranging from moderate (difficulty breathing, chest pain, eye and nose irritation) to severe (respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and reduced lung function)⁸.

Those at Risk

While exposure to these pollutants can affect anyone, certain groups are particularly vulnerable, including children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems or preexisting respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

Even short-term exposure to wildfire smoke can increase hospital visits, trigger asthma attacks, strain the heart, and worsen chronic respiratory illnesses. These effects can sometimes persist long after the last fires have been extinguished⁹.

The Hidden Danger Indoors

It’s easy to assume your home is a safe haven from wildfire smoke.However, according to the American Lung Association, indoor air pollution can be up to 100 times worse than outdoor air ¹⁰. During wildfire events, indoor PM2.5 and other particle levels can reach as high as 76% of outdoor concentrations¹¹, even with doors and windows closed. Smoke particles can easily seep indoors through cracks, vents, and air leaks, then settle into carpets and upholstery.

In short, wildfire smoke respects no boundaries, and can linger long after the skies are clear. In the next section, we’ll explore how tracking your local Air Quality Index (AQI) can help you stay proactive, not only during wildfire events, but throughout the year.

Quick Tip:

If you smell, but see no smoke, your indoor air quality has already been compromised. Therefore, it’s important to never assume the air is safe; always check your local AQI.

AQI index chart

The Importance of AQI in a Wildfire-Prone World

While wildfires rage, much of the attention is understandably on the containment level of the fires. But to fully prepare for the impact on our health, it’s equally important to understand what we’re breathing in, not just outdoors, but inside our own homes as well. And the best way to do this is by frequently checking the Air Quality Index, or AQI.

The AQI uses a 0-500 scale to represent local air quality, moving from ‘Good’ conditions at the low end (0-50) to ‘Hazardous’ at the high end (320 and higher).

While an AQI of 151 may not seem concerning at first glance, it actually falls into the “Unhealthy” range, meaning even people with no preexisting conditions may start to experience symptoms such as coughing, throat irritation, and shortness of breath. At this level, it’s best to limit time outdoors until conditions improve.

Attention!

AQI levels can vary significantly from hour-to-hour during wildfire events. Even if morning levels seem fine, they can quickly deteriorate throughout the day, so it’s vital to frequently check the AQI throughout the day

The AQI measures not only the pollutants discussed in this article, ground-level ozone and PM2.5, but also carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide, all of which can compound the negative effects of wildfire smoke.

The best way to check the AQI on a regular basis is simply by opening the weather app on your phone. Beneath the daily forecast is often a small section showing your local AQI, updated regularly.

While the AQI in your area fluctuates daily, one way to ensure the air inside your home remains consistently clean and pure is by running a high-quality HEPA air purifier, a topic we’ll explore next.

HEPA Purifiers: Your 24/7 Clean-Air Sentry

HEPA purifiers are the gold standard when it comes to protecting the air inside your home during wildfires. They work by forcing the air inside your home through a fine membrane known as a High Energy Particulate Air (HEPA) filter, releasing purified air back into the room.

Why HEPA Filters Are Vital During Wildfires

All HEPA filters are designed to trap at least 99.97% of airborne particles down to .3 micrometers in size. That means that smoke and particulate matter, such as PM2.5, are effectively captured, providing peace of mind during poor air quality events.

However, standard HEPA filters cannot trap ozone or other harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide. That’s why the inclusion of additional activated carbon or charcoal filters is essential for full protection.

During wildfires, it’s crucial to run your HEPA purifier continuously to remove fine ash particles and be sure to have one with the carbon filter to capture ozone.

Heppa Filter

AirDoctor: The Next Level of HEPA Protection

Among the many HEPA purifiers on the market, one truly stands above the rest: AirDoctor. Engineered to capture what others miss, AirDoctor® air purifiers deliver cleaner healthier air you can rely on, every single day…especially during wildfire season.

Its patented UltraHEPA^® filter has been independently verified to remove 99.99% of airborne impurities at 0.003 microns, 100 times smaller than the HEPA standard.

But AirDoctor air purifiers go even further. Its advanced 3-stage purification system includes a premium carbon/VOC filter that removes odors, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and gases such as ozone. And with real-time Air Quality Monitoring, AirDoctor units automatically adjust their filtration power based on your indoor conditions, so you always get cleaner air without the guesswork.

AirDoctor air purifiers deliver whisper-quiet operation and high-capacity filtration trusted by homeowners nationwide. It’s no wonder customers say the air in their home feels cleaner, safer, and healthier with AirDoctor.^*

*Based on an email survey of 775 AirDoctor customer respondents.

When wildfire smoke fills the skies, you need a HEPA purifier that delivers true protection. Get AirDoctor and start breathing cleaner, fresher, purer air today!

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