Processed on 2024-03-04 12:41:29 PST.

Disclaimer: Data presented here come from a variety of sources and do not represent official EPA measurements. Please visit AirNow for official measurements.

Cumulative exposure to smoke is an important public health metric. This report summarizes the cumulative number of days air quality monitors in Alaska spent in each AQI category during the the month of March.

The tables below include only permanent monitors measuring PM2.5 and show cumulative exposure under existing NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) and under the 2024 revised standards for PM2.5.

In the tables and plots below, ‘Old’ designates cumulative days calculated using the 2023 PM2.5 NAAQS while ‘New’ is calculated using the 2024 revised PM2.5 NAAQS. The impact of the NAAQS revision is quite clear.

March in Alaska

March 2014 – 4 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 62 29 2 0 0 0 0
New 41 50 2 0 0 0 0

March 2015 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 61 31 1 0 0 0 0
New 40 51 2 0 0 0 0

March 2016 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 96 22 0 0 0 0 6
New 85 33 0 0 0 0 6

March 2017 – 4 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 77 32 5 0 0 0 10
New 62 47 5 0 0 0 10

March 2018 – 10 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 105 14 0 0 0 0 5
New 93 26 0 0 0 0 5

March 2019 – 6 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 143 12 0 0 0 0 0
New 128 27 0 0 0 0 0

March 2020 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 131 17 1 0 0 0 6
New 111 37 1 0 0 0 6

March 2021 – 5 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 123 31 0 0 0 0 1
New 93 61 0 0 0 0 1

March 2022 – 6 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 124 14 0 0 0 0 17
New 120 18 0 0 0 0 17

March 2023 – 6 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 165 21 0 0 0 0 0
New 142 44 0 0 0 0 0