It’s our job at Mesa County Public Health to anticipate and respond to conditions affecting the quality of life in Mesa County. Air quality is one factor that directly affects the health of the community.

Whether you work outside every day or in an office, air quality affects all of us. Poor air quality especially affects employees who struggle with asthma or other respiratory issues.

Our environmental health team monitors air quality so we can let community members and local businesses know about precautions they can take when air quality becomes a concern.

Our team uses local data to help inform the community about air quality conditions and any changes that are expected. We also rely on data from the National Weather Service and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as well as sensors that volunteers place at their homes or businesses to measure pollutants in the air.

The purple air sensor map on our website shows air quality at different locations in the Grand Valley using those sensors. This is just one of the tools available on our website at health.mesacounty.us/conditions_airquality. Residents and employers can check out the snapshot of conditions that shows ozone and fine particulates in the air. You can also see weather forecasts from the National Weather Service, which include weather and heat advisories and wind conditions.

People who have burn permits, whether they work in the agriculture industry or not, also need to know air conditions to make sure it’s okay to burn. The spring open burn season started on March 1 and runs until April 30 in the City of Grand Junction and through May 31 in Mesa County.

Mesa County Public Health issues burn permits for everyone in the county, including those within city limits. Our goals with these permits are to protect the health and safety of our residents and reduce pollution. Those seeking a burn permit are encouraged to apply online on our website. They also can also apply in person at Mesa County Public Health. Those who have questions or need help can call (970) 248-6900. Air conditions can change quickly, so it’s important for residents and employers to check the website on a regular basis.

Recent trends in Colorado and other western states include warmer and drier air. As a result, we’re seeing more wildfires, both in quantity and intensity. This produces greater volumes of smoke, which we all breathe. Children, the elderly and people whose immune systems have been compromised are most affected.

As rain or snow falls to the ground, it can collect air pollutants and drag them to the ground — “cleaning” the air. Unfortunately, less precipitation overall also means less cleaning of the air so particulates and other pollutants linger longer.

More travel to and from Mesa County and an increase in population means more emissions from vehicles, businesses and construction, which all affect air quality over the long term.

Fortunately, we can all help improve air quality as a community with small actions — driving less, riding a bike or walking instead of driving, composting instead of burning yard waste and reducing waste in general.

The team at Mesa County Public Health works hard every day to make sure the air we breathe is healthy for you, your employees and families. Taking care of such an important resource like air promotes the health and overall wellness of your most important resource — your people.