Oroville air quality map

How much interesting information about air quality is there on the air pollution map for Oroville?

In the top left-hand corner of the main city page is the Oroville air quality map which acts as a link to a new set of pages that are filled with all the latest information about the current state of the air.

Once this new set of pages opens, a noticeable thing will be the strong colouration of the background to the map. This is a direct visualisation of the current level of air pollution. The map could be any colour from pale green to dark maroon. The meanings of these various colours can be seen in the legend at the foot of the screen. They are standard colours across the whole IQAir site. In early June 2023, the map colour was pale green which shows the air was “Good” quality.

There will be a few coloured discs circulated across the map and these show the sites of the ground-level air monitoring stations in and around the city. Not all of the discs on the map are not under the jurisdiction of the city. If some appear to be on top of each other, the map can be slowly enlarged so the discs will begin to separate and thus become easier to see.

At their centre is a number which is their United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This is calculated by measuring the concentration of up to six of the most prolific pollutants found in the city air. They are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

This figure is used as a standard when comparing levels of air quality in different towns and cities across the globe. It has the full backing of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Looking back at the main city page, in the coloured band running across the top of it, it can be seen that in early June 2023, Oroville was enjoying a period of “Good” air quality with a US AQI reading of 25. The green colouration of the band also indicates this level of pollution.

PM2.5 is considered to be the primary pollutant with a recorded level of 5.9 µg/m³ (microns per cubic metre) which is slightly higher than the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Immediately below the air pollution map for Oroville can be seen the number of contributors there are that collect and collate all the information about air pollution on behalf of the city. It also shows the number of ground-level air monitoring stations there are in the region. Currently, there are three stations operated by three contributors who all wish to remain anonymous.

Are there many more interesting facts and figures about air pollution on the air quality map for Oroville?

There are a lot more interesting facts and figures about air pollution on the air quality map for Oroville. There is a “full-screen” icon at the top right-hand corner of the opening page and when pressed, a completely new set of pages will open up at maximum size so all information will be visible.

Four options should now be seen on the left-hand side of the screen which can all be individually deactivated to see the effects they each have on the map.

The first option shows where the ground-level air monitoring stations are, both in and around the city. Each station has all the information about air quality in that specific area. The information they reveal is constantly updated and is extremely valuable when travelling around the area.

The third option shows the position of any wildfires that are burning out of control in the area. At the beginning of June 2023, fires were detected towards the east of the city and also to the northwest. According to option number four which shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds the south-westerly wind will blow the ensuing smoke away from the city.

The third option will change the background colour of the map to indicate the current air quality. If the air quality is not very good, the colour will be quite dark and a little confusing to see details through. If this is so, the option can be deactivated so the map colour will revert to a more subdued colour scheme.

More interesting facts and figures can be found on the right-hand side of the screen. There is a table shown here that ranks the seven most highly polluted cities in the world. The rest of the participating cities can be found in a separate section under the “full ranking” heading. When selected a whole new set of pages will open which are filled with information about air pollution in each of the cities.

Nearby the contributors’ section is another which shows where the most polluted areas of the city are according to the US AQI reading released by the monitoring stations. Currently, the station showing the highest level of pollution is at Table Mountain Boulevard, showing a reading of 32.

The stations are also listed according to their popularity and the number of followers they each have. The title of the most popular station goes to the one on Nelson Avenue 2 with 57 followers.

Can the source of the air pollution be discovered on the air quality map for Oroville?

The source of the air pollution is not shown directly on the air quality map for Oroville but it is known that the main perpetrators are cars and heavy-duty lorries (especially diesel powered), industrial sources, wood combustion and construction work.

What are PM2.5 and PM10 which are often quoted on the air quality map for Oroville?

Particulate matter (PM) includes microscopic matter suspended in air or water. Airborne particles are called aerosols. PM10 includes particles less than 10 µm (microns) in diameter, PM2.5 those less than 2.5 µm (microns).

The toxicity of suspended particles is mainly due to particles with a diameter of less than 10 microns. They can be emitted directly into the air from anthropogenic activities (industry, residential, agriculture, transport) and natural sources (forest fires, volcanic eruptions, etc.). Particles can also be formed directly in the atmosphere by physico-chemical reactions between pollutants already present in the atmosphere.