The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new online tool called the Smoke Sense Data Visualization Tool, which provides information on how the Smoke Sense app is being used by citizen scientists to report the impacts of wildfire smoke.
Smoke Sense is a research project that enables the public to use a mobile phone app to explore current and forecast maps of air quality, learn how to protect health from wildfire smoke, and record their smoke experiences, health symptoms, and behaviors they have taken to reduce their exposure to smoke.
The Smoke Sense app is available as a free download on the Google Play store and the Apple App Store. Smoke Sense app users participate anonymously, and their identities are not captured. With the tool, you can view graphics showing:
- Number of Participants by date
- Where participants report smoke and health observations
- How people are engaging with Smoke Sense
- Reported physical and behavioral responses to smoke
- Participants’ perspectives on the value of taking actions to be prepared during future smoke events
Data used in these graphics provide near-real time visualizations updated every 6 hours and have not yet been examined for quality and consistency. Health care professionals, public health officials, air quality managers and others can use the visualization tool to learn more about how wildfire smoke events are impacting a community and the public across the country.
Learn more at epa.gov/air-research/smoke-sense. If you have any questions, email [email protected]. Visit the web page at:
