Air Quality & Smoke

Current Forecast: 

• The Division of Air Quality’s Forecasting Page:  https://xapps.ncdenr.org/aq/ForecastCenter

Here is a simple Visibility Guide to Smoke and Air Quality:

The Division of Air Quality's visibility guide to smoke shows what levels of air pollution are likely based on visibility ranges. For example, if visibility is less than 1 mile due to smoke, then air quality probably is in the Code Purple or very unhealthy range. If visibility is from 1 to 3 miles, then air quality probably is in the Code Red or unhealthy range. 
Visibility information can be obtained from local airports or the National Weather Service, http://www.weather.gov/gsp/

Linked below are a few other resources that should help anyone better understand air quality:

Other helpful links:

• The Air Quality Index Color Code: https://ncdenr.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/Air%20Quality/news/brochures/Air_Quality_Color_Guide.pdf
• Air Quality information for schools: https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=flag_program.activityguid
• Visibility, Smoke and Air Quality Now Guide (this guide has a visibility index to help people assess the air quality in places that do not have monitors): http://deq.nc.gov/press-release/visibility-guide-smoke-and-air-quality-now-available
• If you want a more information on what is happening at specific air quality monitors:https://xapps.ncdenr.org/aq/ambient/AmbtPollutant.jsp?pollutant=FRM1HR
• Information can also be found at: https://airnow.gov
• Specific information about fires and health can be found at: https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=topics.smoke_events
• Health advisory from Mission Health: http://blog.mission-health.org/2016/11/14/mission-health-urges-air-quality-precautions-elderly-children-stay-safe-precautions
• Travel Advisories from NC DOT: https://tims.ncdot.gov/tims/RegionSummary.aspx?re=7
• NASA Smoke View:  http://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/