Flagstaff Real-Time AQI Tracker
Get Alerts For Unhealthy AQI In Your Area
When air quality in your area reaches unhealthy levels, we'll send you a quick alert, along with expert tips on how to reduce your exposure.
What's Actually In Flagstaff Air Today?
What High AQI Means for Your Lungs in Flagstaff
How to Read AQI
The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures how polluted the air is and how it may affect your health.
0–50 (Good): Air quality is satisfactory.
51–100 (Moderate): Acceptable, but some pollutants may pose minor concerns.
101–150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups)
151–200 (Unhealthy)
201–300 (Very Unhealthy)
301+ (Hazardous)
Moderate
Still okay for most, but if you have asthma or allergies, take it easy and avoid long outdoor workouts.
Shop MERV 11 filters→What's the Right Filter for Your AQI Level?
Check Today's Live Real Time Air Quality Index AQI Map in Flagstaff, AZ Now
Filterbuy's live map above shows Flagstaff's current Air Quality Index (AQI), the U.S. EPA's scale for outdoor air pollution. Readings run from 0 to 500. When the reading climbs in Flagstaff, ozone or smoke is almost always the cause, and wind-blown dust runs a distant third.
TL;DR
Flagstaff's air is clean most of the time, and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) rates most days Good on the AQI. The bad days come from spring ozone or wildfire and burn smoke, plus windy-day dust. Check the live map, then match your response to the pollutant. If smoke pushes the map to 100 or higher, start Filterbuy's smoke plan below.
How to Read the Flagstaff Live AQI Map Above
Each real-time reading on the Flagstaff live AQI map comes from the nearest monitor or sensor, and its color shows the category at a glance. At orange or worse, adjust your plans, especially for kids and people with asthma, COPD, or heart disease.
First, tap the pollutant detail. When Filterbuy lined up Flagstaff's alert history for this page, that detail sorted every bad-air day into afternoon ozone or drifting smoke, and each needs a different response.
Key Takeaways
Flagstaff's AQI follows EPA's 0 to 500 AQI scale categories. Good is 0 to 50, and Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups starts at 101.
ADEQ issued Flagstaff's first-ever ozone High Pollution Advisory on June 30, 2026, during the Pocket Fire.
Filterbuy's smoke plan starts at AQI 100: MERV 13, fan On, portable HEPA air cleaners, and a closed-up house. No furnace filter removes ozone.
Flagstaff AQI Levels and What Each One Asks of You
Flagstaff AQI categories and colors follow EPA's AirNow AQI basics. The actions are Filterbuy's recommendations.
For the full breakdown, see Filterbuy's AQI Color Chart: What Green to Maroon Means.
| AQI | Category | Typical Flagstaff Cause | Filterbuy's Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–50 | Good | Most days. | Keep your usual filter routine. |
| 51–100 | Moderate | Spring ozone or distant smoke. | Install MERV 13 before smoke season and keep a spare. Start the smoke plan at 100. |
| 101–150 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Nearby smoke or high ozone. | Run the smoke plan below. |
| 151–200 | Unhealthy | Heavy smoke, as in the 2026 Pocket Fire. | Keep the plan running and check the filter more often. |
| 201–300 | Very Unhealthy | Thick smoke from a fire near town. | Follow AirNow and local officials first. Use a clean room. |
| 301 and higher | Hazardous | Rare. An active fire nearby. | Follow local officials, including any evacuation orders. |
Filterbuy's smoke plan starts at AQI 100, the top of the Moderate range, so you're ready before the map turns orange. Check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map and local guidance first, then:
Put a MERV 13 filter in your HVAC system. EPA's wildfire indoor air guidance recommends MERV 13 or higher during smoke events.
Set the thermostat fan to On instead of Auto so the system filters continuously. See why running the HVAC fan nonstop helps.
Run a portable HEPA air cleaner in each occupied room, bedrooms first.
Close windows and doors, and skip candles, smoking, high-heat cooking, and vacuuming without a HEPA vacuum.
Smoke loads filters fast, so check yours often and replace it when it looks dirty, which can be well before its normal interval. Keep spares on hand, or let filter auto-delivery handle it.
Why Flagstaff's AQI Can Trail the Smoke You Smell
Flagstaff's AQI can lag what you see out the window. AirNow's NowCast method blends the last 12 hours, giving the newest readings the most weight, so a sudden plume can take an hour or more to show.
Where you are matters, too. A home by the I-40 and I-17 interchange and a Doney Park cabin can breathe very different air. During the Pocket Fire, ADEQ air quality meteorologist Michael Graves told KNAU, "If you smell smoke, you're breathing it in."
Is Flagstaff's Air Safe to Breathe Today?
Whether Flagstaff's air is safe today depends on the live map's color. Good and Moderate are fine for nearly everyone. At orange, sensitive groups should cut back on hard exercise, and at red, everyone should. If you have asthma, COPD, or heart disease, follow your doctor's advice and official alerts.
At nearly 7,000 feet, newcomers and hikers headed toward Humphreys Peak should ease off sooner on orange days.
Where to Check the Flagstaff Air Quality Forecast
ADEQ publishes the official Flagstaff ozone forecast on business days as part of its Community Air Quality Toolkit pilot. While researching this page, Filterbuy noticed a gap: the forecast covers ozone only, yet Flagstaff's sharpest swings come from smoke and dust. Pair it with the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map and Coconino National Forest prescribed burn updates. ADEQ also emails the forecast to subscribers.
What's in Flagstaff's Air? Ozone, Smoke, and Dust
Ground-level ozone forms when sunlight reacts with gases from tailpipes and smoke. In Flagstaff, ADEQ says it runs highest in spring, before the monsoon arrives. Read about ground-level ozone and its health effects.
PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, is the main ingredient in wildfire and prescribed fire smoke, and ADEQ also points to home fireplaces as a cold-season source. See how PM2.5 affects the AQI.
PM10 dust kicks up with strong spring and fall winds and can irritate airways prone to allergies or asthma.
Filterbuy built this calendar from ADEQ's ozone notes and Forest Service fire and burn dates:
| Season | Main Driver | Smart Move |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (March to June) | Peak ozone and early fires | Hike early on ozone days |
| Summer (June to September) | Wildfire smoke, then monsoon relief | Stock a spare MERV 13 |
| Fall (October and November) | Prescribed burns and windy dust | Close windows on burn days |
| Winter (December to February) | Wood smoke on still nights | Burn only dry wood |
Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Smoke in Flagstaff
Wildfire smoke is the wildcard in Flagstaff's air. The U.S. Forest Service lists these large fires near town:
Tunnel Fire, April 17, 2022: about 19,060 acres
Pipeline Fire, June 12, 2022: about 26,771 acres
Pocket Fire, June 19, 2026: about 27,393 acres, north of Sedona
ADEQ meteorologist Michael Graves gives a visibility rule. If you can see only 5 miles, sensitive groups should limit time outside. At 3 miles, they should stay in, and at 1 mile or less, everyone should.
"The Pocket Fire changed how we write about Flagstaff's air. Its smoke raised both particles and ozone, so check which pollutant is driving the map before you pick a fix."
Michelle Wan, Brand Manager & Air Quality Writer, Filterbuy
Coconino National Forest also runs prescribed burns in spring and fall, plus pile burns in winter. Follow Coconino National Forest prescribed burn updates and track smoke on Filterbuy's Coconino County wildfire and smoke map, live USA wildfire and smoke map, or statewide Arizona air quality map.
What an ADEQ High Pollution Advisory Means for Your Flagstaff Day
ADEQ's High Pollution Watch goes out 2 to 4 days ahead when pollution could exceed the federal health standard, and an Advisory follows when that becomes imminent or highly likely, per ADEQ's Flag Program FAQ. During an advisory, use our air quality alert checklist for home and:
Move runs and hikes to the morning on ozone days.
Skip wood burning and leaf blowers, as ADEQ asks.
On smoke days, run Filterbuy's smoke plan above and wear a fitted N95 outdoors. See at what AQI to wear a mask.
No Ductwork? Cleaner Air Options for Flagstaff Homes Without Central HVAC
No ducts means no filter slot, so in a Flagstaff home heated by a wall furnace or wood stove, portable HEPA air cleaners are your primary defense against smoke. Size each one with EPA's cleaner air room guidance: a smoke CADR of at least two-thirds of the room's square footage, so a 300-square-foot bedroom needs a smoke CADR of about 200. Pick from the CARB-certified air cleaner list, since EPA advises against cleaners that produce ozone.
A DIY box-fan air cleaner with MERV 13 filters works as a stopgap, not a replacement for a certified unit. EPA advises a fan made in 2012 or later and never leaving older fans unattended.
Two Air Problems, Two Different Fixes
At Filterbuy, we've built U.S.-made air filters for over a decade and shipped millions. Each kind of Flagstaff bad-air day needs a different fix, so here is one quick check:
| What You Notice | Likely Culprit | What Works | What Doesn't Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haze, smoky smell, PM2.5 on the map | Smoke | Filterbuy's smoke plan, plus an N95 outside | Opening windows to air out |
| Clear, sunny afternoon, ozone on the map | Ozone | Closed windows, morning workouts | A higher MERV filter or an N95 |
| Gusty day, PM10 on the map | Dust | Closed windows and MERV 11 or higher | The ozone forecast, which skips dust |
Closed windows help on ozone days, too. Ozone reacts with indoor surfaces, so closed-window homes hold about one-tenth of outdoor ozone, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory research.
Which Filter Flagstaff's AQI Level Calls For
Smoke maps to MERV 13 on Filterbuy's filter ladder. A Filterbuy MERV 8 covers everyday dust and pollen, MERV 11 steps up for allergy households, and smoke calls for a MERV 13 air filter.
| AQI on the Map | Filter | Captures | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–99 | MERV 8 | Dust, pollen, pet hair, lint | Everyday use |
| 0–99 | MERV 11 | Finer dust and pet dander | Allergy households and dusty spring days |
| 100 and higher, or any smoke | MERV 13 | The finest particles on the ladder | Smoke and burn days |
Fit is the only check MERV 13 needs, which is why Filterbuy makes more than 600 sizes: any gap lets smoky air slip past. Pleated filters capture particles, not odors, so for smoke smell see the Odor Eliminator carbon filter line. Our guides cover which MERV rating to use, MERV 13 vs. HEPA for wildfire smoke, and HVAC recovery steps after wildfire smoke. Every Filterbuy filter is made in the USA, with fast and free 2-day delivery to most US states.
Supporting Statistics
27,393 acres burned in the 2026 Pocket Fire
Its smoke led to Flagstaff's first-ever ozone advisory
Source: USDA Forest Service
90 percent of Americans' time is spent indoors
Some pollutants run 2 to 5 times higher inside
99.97 percent of 0.3-micron particles are caught by HEPA filters
The county provides HEPA filters to eligible residents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the air quality in Flagstaff today?
Today's Flagstaff air quality is on the live AQI map above. Most days fall in the Good range, but smoke or spring ozone can change that quickly.
Why does Flagstaff get ozone alerts?
Sunlight turns gases from vehicles and wildfire smoke into ozone. That is how the Pocket Fire led ADEQ to issue Flagstaff's first ozone High Pollution Advisory on June 30, 2026.
Is the air quality bad in Flagstaff today because of smoke?
Probably, if the live map lists PM2.5 and you see haze or smell smoke, usually from a nearby wildfire or prescribed burn.
Where can I check Flagstaff PM2.5 today?
Open the live map's pollutant detail or the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. ADEQ's Flagstaff forecast covers ozone only.
Will an HVAC filter help on a bad air day in Flagstaff?
On smoke days, yes. MERV 13 is Filterbuy's smoke tier, and EPA recommends MERV 13 or higher during smoke events. No furnace filter removes ozone.
Glossary
Air Quality Index (AQI): EPA's 0 to 500 outdoor air scale, with six color-coded categories.
ADEQ: Arizona's state air agency, which issues Flagstaff's ozone forecasts and alerts.
Ground-level ozone: A lung-irritating gas formed by sunlight and pollutants that HVAC filters can't capture.
PM2.5: Fine particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller, the main pollutant in wildfire smoke.
MERV: Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, a 1 to 16 filter rating for particle capture.