Thursday April 14, Douglas County air quality fell into the “unhealthy” category of the Air Quality Index — the third of six categories listed on the AQI. 

The sudden change was due to the annual controlled burns in the Flint Hills of Kansas as a measurement against invasive weeds.

In a statement released last Thursday by the Douglas County Health Department, it stated that anyone was susceptible to health effects, especially those in sensitive groups such as the elderly, youth and those with asthma.

According to Russ Hadan,  a pollution/lab scientist with the Douglas County Health Department, schools cancelled outdoor activities including recess and afternoon sporting events during the period of time in which the air quality was “unhealthy.”

While the controlled burn in the Flint Hills is an annual event, Hadan explains that a number of events unfolded last week, which resulted in the abnormal air quality. 

However, the largest contributor to the poor air quality was the wind dying off Wednesday night, letting the smoke settle over eastern Nebraska.

The AQI takes into account several factors when categorizing the levels of air quality, including Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide and Particulate Matter-10. PM-10 is the measure of solid or liquid particles in the air such as dust and any particle that is equal to or less than 10 micrometers.

One of the biggest determinants of the AQI is the ground-level Ozone level.

Ground-level Ozone is the combination of pollutants along with emissions from items such as cars or manufacturing plants that then heat up in the sunlight.

It affects everyone and is most notable during the summer when the sun exposure is at its height and more people participate in outdoor activities.

California and Texas traditionally have the highest levels of ground-level Ozone, according to Hadan. However, both states have taken progressive measures to limit the emissions that may escalate ground-level Ozone.

California state legislature passed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Due to the efforts and regulations in place, air quality has seen a gradual improvement. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Aggregate emissions of six common pollutants dropped 69 percent between 1970 and 2014”. 

However Hadan predicts there will be 10 to 13 days where the air quality will spike back up to the “unhealthy” category this year.

For instant information on local air quality visit: www.airnow.gov