LA retains dubious distinction as America’s smoggiest city

Los Angeles remains the smog capital of the United States as its air quality worsens.

LA has been ranked as the smoggiest U.S. city in 19 of the 20 years that the American Lung Association has published its annual report on air quality, Curbed report. The city also ranked fifth among U.S. cities in long-term particle pollution and ranked seventh in short-term particle pollution.

Smoke from the huge Thomas Fire probably was a factor in a severe decline in air quality in the Santa Barbara area during the period analyzed, the report found, as wildfires can worsen particle pollution and contribute to asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes. In fact, fires in the Los Angeles area have degraded air quality so much that the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index for some parts of the metro area has twice recorded the agency’s “most severe” level.

California probably will under perform again in the next annual report by the American Lung Association because its latest report excludes data from 2018, when wildfires led to air-quality warnings in the San Francisco area and Southern California. [Curbed] – Mike Seemuth