Residents across the state of Georgia have been advised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stay inside as, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI), outdoor air quality has reached “Unhealthy” levels due to increasing amounts of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Why It Matters
“Unhealthy” and “Very Unhealthy” air quality caused by fine particle pollution can cause or worsen serious health problems, including asthma, heart attacks, and strokes, especially among the vulnerable population, which includes young children, pregnant women, older adults, and those with heart or lung conditions.
What To Know
The EPA’s AQI measures particle pollution (PM2.5 and PM10) on a 0-500 scale. Values between 101 and 150 signal that air quality is “Unhealthy” for sensitive groups, but levels between 151 and 200 are classed as “Unhealthy” for everyone, while 201–300 is deemed “Very Unhealthy” for everyone.
Several counties across Georgia, including Cherokee, Pickens, Dawson, Barrow, Hall, and Rockdale, have been issued an “Unhealthy” air quality warning, with some areas reaching AQI levels of 166. The worsening air quality is driven by excessive PM2.5, fine particulate matter up to 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which can often come from sources like power plants, industrial processes, vehicle emissions, woodstoves, and wildfires.
According to reporting by the Georgia Recorder, Atlanta ranks among the top U.S. cities for particle pollution spikes, largely due to smog and traffic-related emissions.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources previously told Newsweek: “The elevated readings are most likely due to local nearby burns with perhaps some mixed in smoke from agriculture burns around the Southeast. The meteorological conditions are optimal now for elevated readings with light to calm winds and dry stable conditions in place due to a strong high-pressure system over the region.”
AirNow, an EPA-managed platform that reports on AQI information, states: “Particle pollution causes a number of serious health problems, including coughing, wheezing, reduced lung function, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and strokes. It is also linked to early death in people with heart or lung disease.”
What Happens Next
The EPA advises residents in affected areas across Georgia—especially those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and outdoor workers—to take steps to avoid exposure to the unhealthy air quality. These include avoiding the outdoors, or at least reducing the amount of time spent outdoors. If they must go outside, they should choose less strenuous activities—like walking instead of running. It also recommends that they continue to monitor the AirNow AQI map, which will provide real-time updates of AQI levels across the state as the day progresses.
