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Wildfires and Air Quality
Wildfires
In North America, wildfires have increased in frequency and intensity in recent decades due to a combination of factors such as climate change, expanding development, and years of fire suppression. These wildfires release clouds of smoke that can migrate far beyond the site of the wildfire, bringing harmful pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ground-level ozone with them. Wildfires that began in Canada, for example, can end up impacting the air quality in Illinois (see a July 2026 news release about poor air quality issues statewide here).
The harmful pollutants these wildfires bring can negatively affect the health of those who consistently breathe them in, and may especially harm those in vulnerable groups, such as people with lung diseases, older adults, and children. Symptoms can include an elevated heart rate, coughing and wheezing, shortness of breath, and more. For that reason, the Illinois EPA advises residents to consistently monitor the daily air quality, especially during the summer months when wildfires are more common.
Air Quality
One helpful tool used to measure the air quality in your region is the Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI is an index created by the U.S. EPA that ranks the air quality in a region from 0 to 300+, with lower numbers meaning cleaner air quality. The AQI contains six color-coded categories of air quality, ranging from good (green) to hazardous (maroon). The Illinois EPA has an in-house AQI Monitoring team ensuring Illinois has accurate AQI readings for all residents to rely on. Follow our social media pages on Instagram (@illinoisepa) and Facebook (Illinois EPA) to receive air quality alert notices issued prior to days with hazardous air quality conditions.
The daily AQI can be easily checked using AirNow, a platform managed by the U.S. EPA that displays the AQI for locations all across the country. For easier access, you can download the AirNow app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
The U.S. EPA has a wealth of resources available for managing days with poor air quality, such as factsheets detailing how to protect your pets, home, and yourself from excessive wildfire smoke inhalation. The U.S. EPA has developed activity guides outlining actions that groups of different levels of vulnerability can take to minimize exposure to wildfire smoke and the damages it may cause, as well as guides for parents and educators to keep children and students safe when interacting with the environment on days with poor air quality.
Resources
AirNow – AQI Basics
AirNow – Check Air Quality
Illinois Department of Natural Resources – Native American Use of Fire
National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Visualized Wildfire Statistics
National Interagency Fire Center – Wildfire Statistics
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Wildfires
National Park Service – Indigenous Fire Practices
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Wildfires and Smoke