Worst now
US wildfire smoke: live tracker
Smoke travels hundreds of miles, so check the air even far from a fire
Updated · AirNow
Where US air is worst right now, from EPA AirNow monitors, with active smoke and fire weather alerts from the National Weather Service.
Live tracker · Story updated 14 October 2026
- Worst US air right now: 1 of 274 cities Unhealthy or worse, worst Pittsburgh US AQI 172 (Unhealthy)
Live data updated 12:40 pm UTC.
Worst US air right now
- Good 225
- Moderate 48
- Unhealthy 1
- 172PittsburghPennsylvania · Unhealthy
- 89San DiegoCalifornia · Moderate
- 88IndianapolisIndiana · Moderate
- 78MinneapolisMinnesota · Moderate
- 73BillingsMontana · Moderate
- 72DetroitMichigan · Moderate
- 70El CajonCalifornia · Moderate
- 66ClevelandOhio · Moderate
- 65AlbuquerqueNew Mexico · Moderate
- 65Rio RanchoNew Mexico · Moderate
Show all 15 cities
US AQI from US EPA AirNow · Updated 8:40 am ET · All United States cities →
Smoke and fire weather alerts
No air quality, smoke or red flag alerts are active right now.
Latest
- 11 October: A fire near Santa Clarita, California, burns about 100 acres and forces evacuations (Latin Times).
- 5 October: The Bouquet Fire in the Angeles National Forest reaches 1,048 acres and 48 percent containment, two days after it started (Latin Times).
- 30 September: Washington's smoke blog closes for the season after wet weather ends the Pacific Northwest's fire season (Washington Smoke Information).
Not every high reading on this page is smoke: ozone and local dust can also push the AQI up. Check the main pollutant on each city's page.
How to protect yourself from smoke
- Check the hourly AQI from the monitor nearest you before going out.
- Above 150, move exercise indoors. Above 100, people with asthma, heart or lung disease, children, older adults and pregnant people should cut back outdoors.
- Use an N95 or KN95 respirator outdoors; cloth and surgical masks don't stop smoke particles.
- Make a clean room: close windows, and run a HEPA purifier or a box fan with a MERV 13 filter.
The full guide: wildfire smoke safety.
Related reading
GuidesWildfire smoke: how to protect yourself, your home and your family
NewsSanta Ana winds: Norte Fire forces 16,000 from homes as red flag warnings, heat and power shutoffs run through Saturday
GuidesHow to improve indoor air quality at home, and when to open the windows
NewsNor'easter hits the Outer Banks: Hatteras visitors ordered out, NC 12 expected to close, 2 to 4 feet of flooding
Frequently asked questions
Where is the air quality worst in the US right now?
The live list above ranks US cities by their current AQI from EPA AirNow monitors, worst first, updated every few minutes.
What AQI is dangerous during wildfire smoke?
Above 100 is unhealthy for sensitive groups and above 150 is unhealthy for everyone. Above 200, everyone should avoid outdoor exertion.
What is a Red Flag Warning?
A National Weather Service warning that warm temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds will combine to make fires start and spread easily. It is about fire risk, not smoke.