Air Quality Conditions

Real-time air quality in Mesa County

Understand the scale

The higher the Air Quality Index (AQI) value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. The AQI is divided into six (6) categories as listed below. Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern.

The State of Colorado's Air Quality page provides the AQI for here in the Grand Valley.

AQI color key

Green – good
Yellow – moderate
Orange – unhealthy for sensitive groups
Red – unhealthy
Purple – very unhealthy
Maroon – hazardous

Current Air Quality

Highest AQI Yesterday

The No Burn Advisory has been lifted as of 9/12/2025. Our team continues to monitor conditions daily. Short-term No Burn Advisories may be issued if there are strong winds, extremely dry conditions, or poor air quality. Updates will be made on our website and social media.

Learn the Open Burn permit process.

Reduce your risk when there's wildfire smoke.

Limit your physical activity when you’re outside.
Stay indoors when you can.
Keep windows and doors closed to prevent smoke from entering your home.
If you have an HVAC system with a fresh air intake, set the system to recirculate mode.
If it's too hot to stay indoors with windows closed and you don't have air conditioning, seek shelter in a public building with air conditioning.
Use air filters. Learn what types of filters are best to purchase from the Environmental Protection Agency here.
Limit the use of evaporative coolers.
Build your own air filter at home. Follow instructions from the UC Davis College of Engineering.
Create a clean room. Choose a room with minimal windows and doors and use a portable air cleaner or DIY filter to keep the air in this room as clean as possible. Learn more on the EPA website.

Read more about health and wildfire smoke from CDPHE.

See a health care provider if your symptoms get worse, don't go away, or disrupt your daily activities.

Air quality directly impacts your quality of life

What we do

Mesa County Public Health constantly monitors air quality with forecast models, measurement tools, and observation.

Our team uses this data to inform community members and future policies.

What is air quality?

Air quality is a measurement system called AQI (air quality index) developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assign a numerical value to the air quality.

This system takes four major air pollutants into account, ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. The higher the AQI, the greater the level of air pollution.

PurpleAir ratings

The Air Quality Index above is useful but only monitors several County-wide sensors.

The PurpleAir map of the County showcases where local volunteers place air sensors on their businesses or homes and provides a second data point for local air quality.

Air quality camera views

The camera views show real-time visibility in Mesa County.

North Mt. Garfield view

View the Mt. Garfield image on a separate screen.

South-West Monument view

View the Monument image on a separate screen.

West Fruita view

live image of Western Fruita View the Fruita image on a separate screen.