How Does Air Quality Affect You?

This is Chicago on July 18, 2026. Do you see how hazy it is? On that day, Chicago had hazardous air quality. Many outdoor areas were closed. Swimming pools were closed. So were beaches and zoos. Sporting events were cancelled. 

Photo Credit: Sipa USA/Alamy Stock Photo

Why was the air quality bad? This summer Canada had very large wildfires. Wind blew the smoke to Chicago. It came to other communities in America. Wildfire smoke is unhealthy. Being outside in it can make you sick. 

Photo Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using GOES 16 imagery courtesy of NOAA and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).

This map shows a day when air quality was bad. It is color-coded. Green is healthy. Yellow is moderate. Purple is very unhealthy. Maroon is an emergency.

What Do You Think? Work with an adult to check your air quality. Use the Air Quality Index map found here https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow. Zoom in to your community. What is the air quality like today?  

Photo Credit: AirNow