With wildfire season here, there’s no better time to expand our air quality monitoring efforts in Spokane County. We’re pleased to announce the installation of a new air monitoring site, measuring fine particle pollution (PM2.5), at Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake. Data from this site will soon be transmitted to our online monitoring network map.
This isn’t the first time air quality has been measured in Liberty Lake. For several years, our agency operated a special-purpose, temporary monitoring site to measure fine particle pollution. The site was discontinued in June 2016 because PM2.5 readings were low compared to other sites in the local air monitoring network, and because it would have required extensive upgrades to remain operational.
The air quality monitoring network in Spokane County has expanded recently, thanks to state and federal grants. Last year, 11 SensWA sensors were added to our network. The new site at Ridgeline High School employs advanced, regulatory-grade monitoring equipment. Unlike sensors, monitors require more complex, extensive testing and maintenance to meet rigorous performance standards.
Hourly air quality data from all monitoring sites is reported in several places, including the Washington Department of Ecology, The Washington Smoke Blog, AirNow.gov, and on our website. *Please note that each site updates at slightly different intervals so it may appear that the data doesn’t match – this is typically due to a timing issue.
While there are currently no plans for additional monitoring sites, Spokane Clean Air continuously assesses monitoring needs to ensure we provide the most comprehensive air quality data possible for Spokane County residents.
