Milwaukee's air quality is among the worst in the world. Here's where it ranks.

Christopher Kuhagen and Beck Andrew Salgado, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·4 min read
22

TUESDAY'S STORY: Air quality levels reach 'very unhealthy' and even 'hazardous' stage across southeast Wisconsin

The quality of Wisconsin's air was among the worst in the world again on Tuesday, worse even than it was on Monday as smoke from Canadian fires continues to sit over the city.

Right now the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reporting a 212 Air Quality Index level in Milwaukee while IQAir.com has it as 248. That is higher than at any point on Monday and it means that Milwaukee's air quality is the second worst in the world right now.

This comes after the DNR issued an air quality alert through Thursday, signaling populations will need to take precautions over a prolonged stretch as wildfire smoke from Canada continues to wreak havoc this spring and summer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's AQI assigns a number on a 0-500 scale in six colored categories that are based on ozone and the pollutant concentrations. The higher the number the worse the air quality gets.

What does Wisconsin's air quality index mean?

A large portion of Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay, had an AQI in the 151-200 range or in the "red" category on Monday. In this category, sensitive groups should especially be aware and avoid prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion, and everyone else should reduce those activities when its in this range.

By Tuesday morning, the AQI level for Milwaukee had reached the 200s and into the "very unhealthy" category and the "purple" zone.

The Midwest is the only other part of the country has as bad air quality as this region.

How does Milwaukee's air quality rank compared to other cities in the United States and world?

As ranked by IQAir.com, a website that analyzes air quality levels, these are the cities in the US that have the worst air quality as of Tuesday.

  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin- 248 (AQI level)

  • Wilmette, Illinois - 229

  • South Bend, Indiana - 196

  • Brookfield, Wisconsin -194

By comparison, these are the major cities around the world that have large worst air quality levels as of Tuesday morning.

  • Chicago, United States - 168 (AQI level)

  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 156

  • Delhi, India - 152

  • Minneapolis, USA - 144

  • Sao Paulo, Brazil - 138

What should I do when the air quality is this bad?

People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should take any of these steps to reduce exposure, according to AirNow.gov:

  • Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.

  • Keep outdoor activities short.

  • Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.

Everyone else should takeany of these steps to reduce exposure:

  • Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.

  • Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.

  • Be active outdoors when air quality is better.

How to protect from air pollution in Milwaukee?

IGAir.com also lists a few ways you can also protect yourself when the AQI begins to rise. It includes wearing a well-fitted mask outdoors, close your winds to avoid dirty outdoor air, run an air purifier as well as avoiding outdoor exercise.

More: Do I need to be worried about Wisconsin's air quality alert? It depends.

How does this compare to New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., when they saw extreme air quality alerts?

While Milwaukee is in the unhealthy category for everyone on Monday it hasn't reached the levels cities in the northeast saw a couple weeks ago when some of their AQI levels were in the 400s, which is the hazardous level.

Skies were orange as the smoke from the Canadian wildfires made its way south. People were advised to stay indoors and outdoor events were canceled.

How can I monitor the air quality in Wisconsin? What are air quality maps?

You can type in your ZIP code or city on the AirNow.gov website. That will give you an up to date AQI level.

Follow these maps for updates on AQI.

Wildfire map across the United States and Canada; Why is it so smoky in Wisconsin?

Smoke from Canadian wildfires are causing the poor air quality. Monitor these maps for the latest wildfires.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee, other Wisconsin cities among worst air qualities in world