The Most Dangerous Air Quality Days Aren't Always Caused by Fires Near You

The 2026 wildfire season is off to a fast start, particularly across the interior portions of the West. Unfortunately, the worst is likely yet to come. Wildfire season typically begins to increase in early July and persists well into the early fall months. 

The negative consequences stretch far beyond the scorched land, loss of property and potential lives, and disruptions to life. Large wildfires are also known to impact the air quality of areas thousands of miles away from the site of the blaze. Here is a closer look at air quality measurements, as well as what you can do to protect your health during times of smoky conditions.

How the Air Quality Index Actually Works

There are a number of factors that can impact the air quality index at any given time in any given area. Pollution and stagnant weather patterns are two of the most common offenders. During the wildfire season, it is not unusual for smoky conditions to bring the air quality index down to dangerous levels.

Unfortunately, the poor air quality is not limited to the immediate area around a fire. The smoke and haze can travel thousands of miles depending on weather patterns.

The quality of the air is measured by what is known as the air quality index (AQI). This measurement takes into account pollen, pollutants, smoke, dust, and anything else that the body breathes in. The rating system is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sliding between 0 to 500.

A higher AQI means that the body has to work harder to bring in the oxygen that it needs to function at optimal levels. An AQI reading of under 50 is considered to be good air quality. On the other side of the scale, an AQI over 300 is deemed hazardous, posing risks to even normally healthy individuals.

Various weather patterns come with different abilities to move smoke, dust, and pollution across the U.S. A potent jet stream and strong steering winds can send smoke from fires burning in the western U.S. across the Rockies and into the Plains and beyond. This means that you do not have to be in the line of fire of wildfire activity to be in the danger zone from the resulting smoke. 

Rising temperatures are one of the most significant drivers of poor air quality. Heat domes are able to trap poor air near the ground's surface, keeping it tethered over a region for days. 

The same extreme heat can also support the development and spread of wildfires, exacerbating the smoke in the air. This impact is amplified when strong winds are circulating in the atmosphere.

Last summer was a prime example of how the weather patterns can send smoke traveling great distances. The record-breaking Canadian wildfire season saw frequent intrusions of harmful smoke filtering into the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes, and the Northeast.

Tropical weather is another driver of poor air quality. Tropical waves originating from Africa often carry dust from the Sahara Desert all the way across the Atlantic Ocean and into the U.S. These bursts of Saharan air are most common in Florida and along the Gulf Coast.

High AQI levels can happen at any time of the year, not just when the tropical weather season and wildfires are at play during the summer. Winter is known for its stagnant air that allows pollution to build up and refuse to budge. The spring season ushers in pollen and mold into the air. While the fall season is typically the clearest, the frequent leaf burning can create hazardous conditions.