From Where We Are

Air quality remains at unhealthy levels as fires roar across California

Today, the air in L.A. county scored a 162 out of a maximum 172 on the Air Quality Index, marking overall unhealthy air quality. Yet many residents are left wondering how exactly to interpret this Index, and what it means for their day-to-day lives.

Smoke from wildfires burning east of Los Angeles dims the sunrise on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, seen from Pasadena, Calif. The Bobcat Fire was burning near Cogswell Reservoir in the San Gabriel Mountains while the El Dorado Fire consumed thousands of acres of vegetation near the community of Yucaipa on the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. (AP Photo/John Antczak)

By Sumner Bradley and Emily Bonilla

When Los Angeles residents look outside, the sky appears gray, the air smells smoky, and the sun is bright red. With more than 3 million acres burned by wildfires, L.A. County officials urge residents to limit their outdoor exposure as much as possible. Emily Bonilla reports on how these fires are impacting Angelenos daily lives, and what the “air quality index” you may find on Google actually means.