Processed on 2024-03-04 12:50:34 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 September.

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.

September in California

September 2014 – 116 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 1341 382 14 9 2 1 142
New 935 787 15 7 3 2 142

September 2015 – 136 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 1613 253 18 16 4 1 172
New 1219 647 18 11 8 2 172

September 2016 – 264 permanent monitors

Processing error: Unable to calculate tables.

September 2017 – 165 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 1751 915 103 8 1 0 229
New 1249 1413 106 9 0 1 229

September 2018 – 289 permanent monitors

Processing error: Unable to calculate tables.

September 2019 – 166 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2586 206 1 0 0 0 276
New 2150 642 1 0 0 0 276

September 2020 – 362 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 19 62 22 32 11 0 9
New 12 68 22 28 15 1 9

September 2021 – 220 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 1957 1260 67 70 4 1 268
New 1355 1856 71 63 13 1 268

September 2022 – 237 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2649 731 20 17 6 2 326
New 2084 1294 22 17 6 2 326

September 2023 – 437 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 2947 860 42 10 1 0 387
New 2345 1460 43 11 1 0 387