Smoke from wildfires blanketing the West Coast in the last two years have caused some of the planet’s worst air quality, with smoke reaching the East Coast and Europe. The EPA PM 2.5 AQI (Air Quality Index) in Portland, Eugene OR and Vancouver British Columbia reached over 700 last year, according to PurpleAir, a network of local indoor and outdoor air sensors purchased and used by individuals throughout the U.S. and uploaded to a national map in real time. Read more.