PHOENIX — You can see it sitting over the Valley... that brown smoky smoggy cloud of pollution.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and Maricopa County Air Quality both monitor the air putting out daily air forecasts using data from air monitors across the county and state.
“Typically, in the winter months here in Phoenix we tend to see smoke levels increase in the Valley mainly due to increased wood burning in fireplaces and firepits. Our worse air quality [is] central Phoenix and that is due to just more people there and more densely populated, more industry in central Phoenix,” said Brody Droppleman, Air Quality Meteorologist for ADEQ.
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Air quality depends a lot on our weather. Air quality improves with wet, colder years compared to dry, hot years. Although air quality has been bad, it historically isn’t the worst the Valley has seen.
“We’ve had worse air quality in the past. Overall air quality has improved in Phoenix. We still have issues with it of course and we are trying to get that messaging out and try and solve that problem it’s a very complex issue,” said Droppleman.
They are asking the public to do their part and focus on changing their daily habits, especially during high pollution days.
"Carpool, limit off-road vehicle use. We encourage them to not use gas power tools, lowering their wood burning and limiting their firework use,” said Droppleman.
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