Processed on 2024-03-04 12:49:33 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 California spent in each AQI category during the the month of April.

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.

April in California

April 2014 – 116 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 1404 286 3 0 0 0 136
New 1099 591 3 0 0 0 136

April 2015 – 136 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 1719 222 1 1 0 0 165
New 1385 556 1 1 0 0 165

April 2016 – 264 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 1930 148 2 0 0 0 152
New 1608 470 2 0 0 0 152

April 2017 – 165 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2366 306 1 0 0 0 241
New 1951 721 1 0 0 0 241

April 2018 – 289 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2166 460 1 0 0 0 256
New 1636 990 1 0 0 0 256

April 2019 – 166 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2502 282 0 1 0 0 284
New 2160 624 0 1 0 0 284

April 2020 – 362 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2579 129 0 0 0 0 237
New 2377 331 0 0 0 0 237

April 2021 – 220 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2727 439 0 0 0 0 306
New 2031 1135 0 0 0 0 306

April 2022 – 237 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2750 450 1 1 0 0 270
New 2341 859 1 1 0 0 270

April 2023 – 437 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 3216 345 4 2 0 0 308
New 2776 785 4 2 0 0 308