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The link between wildfires and air quality: What are the surprising facts behind high AQIs?
As climate change intensifies and the frequency of forest fires increases, the Air Quality Index (AQI) has become the focus of global attention. As an indicator of air pollution levels, AQI can instantly reflect the concentration of pollutants in the environment and provide health risk advisories to the public. When forest fires occur, AQI tends to skyrocket, causing widespread health problems, especially for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, and people with lung or heart disease. This article takes a closer look at how forest fires affect air quality and the facts behind AQI.
The relationship between air quality index and abnormal climate events makes the public need to pay more attention to their own health.
Basic concepts of AQI
AQI is calculated based on specific pollutant concentrations, such as fine suspended particulates (PM2.5), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, etc. Different countries have different AQI standards in order to more effectively reflect local air quality. In the United States, the AQI established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is divided into six levels, from "good" to "hazardous to health" to facilitate public understanding.
The relationship between forest fires and AQI
Forest fires release large amounts of fine particulate matter and toxic gases during the burning process, directly causing the deterioration of air quality. Under the influence of wind direction, temperature, humidity and other factors, these pollutants can stay in the atmosphere for a long time, causing the AQI to rise sharply and spread to surrounding residential areas and even urban centers.
When the AQI value rises, especially above 280, health risks increase significantly, especially for the elderly and patients with respiratory diseases.
Government’s response
Faced with high AQI situations, governments usually take some response measures, such as advising residents to reduce outdoor activities, especially sensitive groups. In some cases, when AQI is extremely dangerous, the government can also activate an emergency response plan to limit factory emissions to alleviate pollution.
Potential risks to health
According to research, when the AKI index reaches "unhealthy" or higher, many health risks may occur. For example, patients with heart disease, asthma, and post-traumatic stress disorder may experience exacerbations in high AQI environments. Therefore, people should be more alert to air pollution and always pay attention to changes in the AQI index.
AQI standards in different regions around the world
Different countries have different calculations and standards for AQI. For example, the pollutants and scope considered in China's AQHI are different from those in the United States. In India, the quality index once reached an astonishing 1,081, and the current NAQI covers eight major pollutants, showing the urgency of air quality.
“Active response measures and raising public awareness are the keys to solving the air pollution crisis.”
Conclusion
The frequent occurrence of forest fires has made air quality problems more and more prominent, and changes in AQI provide us with an effective early warning system to help us respond in time. However, what we need to think about is: With the joint efforts of society, how can we act more effectively to improve air quality and reduce the impact of such disasters?
