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Thousands of residents in parts of Florida and Oregon have been warned to stay inside as the amount of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) in the atmosphere reached an “unhealthy” level on Tuesday as of 3 a.m. Eastern time, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AirNow Map shows.

Why This Matters
The EPA uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) to measure and communicate air quality across the United States. The AQI is a standardized scale from 0 to 500 that classifies pollution levels into six categories, ranging from “good” to “hazardous.” Higher AQI values indicate higher levels of pollution and greater health risks for people in the affected areas.

In this case, the AQI has classified the air pollution in parts of Florida and Oregon—including Orlando and La Pine, respectively—as “unhealthy” because of elevated levels of PM2.5. This means the levels of pollution could pose a health risk to all members of the public in the affected areas.

An AirNow Map showing “unhealthy” levels of PM2.5 across parts of Florida and Oregon as of January 20 at 3 a.m. Eastern time.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/thousands-advised-to-stay-inside-in-florida-oregon/ar-AA1Uzdsi