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No single consumer app in the authoritative sources covers extreme heat, drought, and wildfire smoke equally well. The most dependable setup combines three services: the EPA AirNow app and Fire and Smoke Map for current smoke and air quality, National Weather Service (NWS) alerts plus HeatRisk for heat, and the U.S. Drought Monitor with Drought.gov or NOAA outlooks for drought. Use each tool for the time scale and decision it was designed to support, then add local water, fire, and emergency notices for community-specific instructions.
The practical three-tool workflow
Start with AirNow when smoke may be nearby, check Weather.gov for immediate heat warnings, and consult HeatRisk to plan through the next seven days. Use the U.S. Drought Monitor for the current weekly drought picture and Drought.gov or NOAA outlooks for persistence and likely development. This division prevents a common mistake: treating a satellite smoke image, a seven-day heat forecast, or a weekly drought map as if all three were real-time exposure alerts.
- For wildfire smoke: open the AirNow app, save every location that matters to you, and check the current and forecast AQI. Open the Fire and Smoke Map to inspect PM2.5 conditions, fires, smoke plumes, and smoke outlooks where available.
- For heat: read official NWS watches, warnings, and advisories first. Use HeatRisk as additional planning information for each 24-hour period up to seven days ahead.
- For drought: view the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor class for your county or region, then read Drought.gov or NOAA outlook and impact information. Confirm local restrictions with your water utility, fire officials, or emergency-management agency.
During a combined event, make the decision around a cool, clean indoor space: reduce outdoor exertion, keep smoke out, and keep the room cool enough to avoid heat stress.
Why one app cannot answer every hazard question
These hazards are measured differently and change on different schedules. AirNow communicates pollution exposure, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5), with near-real-time observations and forecasts. HeatRisk estimates the potential for heat-related impacts over a forecast period. Drought Monitor analysts summarize broad moisture and impact conditions once a week. A tool that is excellent for one hazard can therefore be misleading for another.
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| Hazard | Primary tool | Update and forecast horizon | What it represents | Best decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire smoke | AirNow app and Fire and Smoke Map | Near-real-time conditions plus forecasts; check repeatedly during an event | AQI and PM2.5 observations, fires, smoke plumes, and available smoke outlooks | Whether to reduce exposure, change plans, or create a cleaner indoor space |
| Extreme heat | Weather.gov alerts and NWS HeatRisk | Official alerts when issued; HeatRisk for each 24-hour period up to seven days | Warnings for hazardous heat and a color-and-number estimate of heat-related impact | Whether to change activities, cooling plans, or travel |
| Drought | U.S. Drought Monitor, Drought.gov, and NOAA outlooks | Weekly status map with monthly and seasonal outlook context | Broad-scale moisture deficits and observed impacts | How persistent conditions may affect water use, fire risk, and local planning |
The geographic detail differs too. AirNow shows monitor and sensor locations, HeatRisk is gridded for the contiguous United States, and the Drought Monitor is intentionally broad-scale. A county-level drought class does not tell you whether a particular neighborhood has a water restriction, and a smoke plume aloft does not prove that ground-level air is unhealthy.
Track wildfire smoke with AirNow
Set up locations before smoke arrives
Install the EPA AirNow app and save your home, workplace, school, and any place you may need to travel. Multiple saved locations let you compare conditions without relying on a single automatic location reading. Keep notifications or a shortcut available so checking AQI takes seconds when a fire changes direction.
Read current and forecast AQI
The app presents current and forecast AQI using the EPA color-coded communication system. AQI covers five pollutants: particle pollution, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. During wildfire smoke, PM2.5 is usually the measurement that most directly informs exposure decisions, so look for the PM2.5 reading and the nearby monitor or sensor supporting it rather than relying on a distant city label.
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The Fire and Smoke Map can display PM2.5 conditions, active fires, smoke plumes, and smoke outlooks where those layers are available. Use it to understand why conditions may be changing and which direction smoke is moving. The map is a context tool, not a substitute for the AQI at breathing level.
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Satellite smoke imagery can show smoke in the atmosphere without showing how much has reached the surface. For an exposure decision, give priority to ground-level PM2.5 monitors and the AQI. If the map appears clear but a nearby monitor reports worsening PM2.5, follow the monitor and local health guidance.
Check more than once
Smoke can change quickly as wind, fire behavior, and atmospheric mixing change. Check AirNow before outdoor activity, again if the sky or smell changes, and after an alert or forecast update. A morning reading should not be treated as an all-day guarantee.
Decide what to do when AQI worsens
Use the AQI category shown by AirNow together with local health advisories and your own susceptibility. The app is a communication system, not a personalized medical diagnosis. When pollution is elevated, shorten or postpone strenuous outdoor activity, move exercise indoors, and watch for symptoms. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and outdoor workers may need a more conservative plan; follow their clinician’s advice or local public-health instructions.
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Reduce indoor smoke entry
- Close windows and exterior doors while smoke is present.
- Set heating or cooling equipment to recirculate when that option is available, rather than intentionally bringing smoky outdoor air inside.
- Choose one room with the fewest leaks as a clean-air room and keep its door closed as much as practical.
- Run a portable air cleaner continuously with doors and windows closed when one is available, following the unit’s operating and filter instructions.
- Avoid adding indoor particles through activities such as smoking, burning candles, or frying without effective ventilation.
AirNow states: “It is important to know that cloth masks will not protect you from wildfire smoke. N95 respirator masks can provide protection from wildfire smoke.” Use a well-fitting N95 when outdoor exposure cannot be avoided. Fit matters; a loose face covering does not provide the same protection.
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- 3M COOL FLOW EXHALATION VALVE helps direct exhaled air downward and allows for easy breathing
- UP TO 50% EASIER BREATHING. Compared to non-valved 3M 8200 Testing
- ADVANCED FILTER MEDIA for easy breathing
- ADJUSTABLE M-NOSECLIP helps provide a custom and secure seal
Know when heat is dangerous
Use official NWS alerts for immediate action
Weather.gov is the authoritative place to check NWS heat watches, warnings, and advisories. An alert is an operational warning product: read its affected area, start and end time, expected conditions, and recommended actions. Treat an alert as the trigger to change plans, arrange cooling, check on people at risk, and follow local emergency instructions.
Use HeatRisk for seven-day planning
NWS HeatRisk adds a 0–4 color-and-number forecast for heat-related impacts for each 24-hour period up to seven days ahead. It considers unusual heat for the location, how long the heat lasts, and CDC heat-health data. This makes it useful for deciding whether to move an event, schedule outdoor work earlier, reserve cooling space, or plan additional check-ins before an official warning is issued.
HeatRisk is supplementary and experimental. It can differ slightly from a local forecast-office display, and it does not replace NWS heat watches, warnings, or advisories. When the two appear to disagree, use the official alert for immediate protective action and use HeatRisk to understand the broader multi-day pattern.
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Build a heat plan around the hottest period
- Check the NWS forecast and any alert for the exact location, not just a nearby major city.
- Look at each day’s HeatRisk value and note consecutive elevated days; duration matters even when one day’s maximum temperature is not a record.
- Move strenuous work or exercise to a cooler time, identify air-conditioned or otherwise cool shelter, and arrange transportation before conditions peak.
- Keep a way to contact people who may be isolated, and follow medical guidance for hydration, medications, and heat-sensitive conditions.
- Recheck the forecast daily because timing, overnight recovery, and alert status can change.
When heat and smoke overlap
Overlapping hazards create a difficult trade-off: opening windows can cool a home but bring in smoke, while sealing a room can trap heat. Prioritize a space that is both cleaner and cool. Use air conditioning or a heat pump with recirculation where possible; fans and shades can improve comfort, but a fan is not a substitute for cooling when indoor temperatures are unsafe.
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If your home cannot remain cool and clean, identify a cleaner, cooler shelter before conditions peak. Check its hours, transportation, and any local public-health instructions. Do not wait until smoke and heat are both severe to make the decision. Reduce outdoor exertion because heavy breathing increases inhaled smoke dose while heat raises the risk of dehydration and heat illness.
Check drought with the U.S. Drought Monitor
Understand the D0–D4 classes
The U.S. Drought Monitor is a weekly collaborative product that provides a general summary of current drought conditions. Its five classes are:
| Class | Name | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| D0 | Abnormally dry | Watch for emerging dryness and local impacts; it is not the same as an established drought emergency. |
| D1 | Moderate drought | Use local water, agricultural, and fire information to understand practical effects. |
| D2 | Severe drought | Expect broader and more persistent impacts; check restrictions and preparedness guidance. |
| D3 | Extreme drought | Look for significant local impacts and official directives affecting water and fire safety. |
| D4 | Exceptional drought | Rely heavily on local emergency, utility, and water-management instructions for action. |
The class is a regional summary, not a daily measurement for an individual property. It may not reflect a sudden local water-main problem, a neighborhood restriction, or conditions that changed after the weekly map’s cutoff.
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Drought.gov and NOAA provide outlooks and impact information that help explain whether dryness is likely to persist, improve, or develop. Use these products for trend context and planning rather than expecting day-to-day updates. For a decision in your community, check your water utility’s conservation rules, fire-danger statements, agricultural advisories, and emergency notices.
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Compare the tools by the question you need answered
| Your question | Open first | Why | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is smoke affecting the air I am breathing now? | AirNow AQI and a nearby PM2.5 monitor | It reports ground-level pollution and current or forecast AQI. | Conditions can change quickly; a plume image alone does not establish surface exposure. |
| Can I safely plan outdoor work this afternoon? | NWS alerts, HeatRisk, and AirNow | Heat and smoke may each require a schedule change. | Neither tool replaces personal medical advice or an employer’s safety plan. |
| Will hot conditions continue for several days? | HeatRisk seven-day view and the local NWS forecast | HeatRisk shows unusual heat, duration, and projected impact by 24-hour period. | HeatRisk is supplementary; official alerts remain authoritative. |
| Is my county in drought? | U.S. Drought Monitor | It provides the recognized weekly D0–D4 status. | The map is broad-scale and weekly, not a neighborhood or real-time instrument. |
| What might drought mean for next month? | Drought.gov and NOAA outlooks | They provide persistence, development, and impact context. | Local restrictions and utility notices control immediate actions. |
Use an indoor air sensor as a feedback tool
EPA recommends purchasing and learning to use an air sensor so real-time indoor and outdoor readings can show whether filtration and ventilation choices are reducing exposure. Place and operate the sensor according to its instructions, compare readings before and after closing windows or running a cleaner, and watch the trend rather than treating one number as a diagnosis.
Sensors supplement official AQI data; they do not replace AirNow or public-health guidance. A consumer sensor may measure only selected pollutants, may need calibration, and may not represent every room. Use it to verify whether your clean-air strategy is working, while using official monitors for the public exposure signal.
Set a checking routine and backup plan
Normal conditions
Save locations in AirNow, bookmark Weather.gov for each place you monitor, and know where the Drought Monitor map and Drought.gov outlooks are found. Decide who will check conditions for a household, workplace, or event and where you will go if the home becomes too smoky or hot.
During an active smoke or heat event
- Check AirNow before outdoor activity and whenever conditions visibly or noticeably change.
- Check NWS alerts and the HeatRisk forecast at least daily, and more often when an alert is active or plans are changing.
- Keep windows and doors closed during smoke, use recirculation, and run available filtration continuously.
- Keep the clean-air room cool with air conditioning, a heat pump, fans, or shades; seek a cleaner, cooler shelter if it cannot be kept safe.
- Follow local fire, water, utility, and emergency directives even when an app has not updated yet.
If an app reading seems wrong
Confirm the selected location, check the timestamp and monitor distance, and compare the reading with the relevant official service. Smoke imagery may show elevated smoke that has not reached the ground; a single sensor may be unrepresentative; and a drought map may lag a local change because it is weekly. Do not use an apparently reassuring layer to dismiss a current official alert.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using only a smoke-plume image: atmospheric smoke is not the same as ground-level PM2.5 exposure.
- Waiting for a heat warning before planning: HeatRisk can reveal a multi-day pattern, but an official alert is still the action trigger.
- Expecting drought data to update hourly: the Drought Monitor is intentionally weekly and broad-scale.
- Assuming a cloth face covering protects against wildfire smoke: AirNow specifically identifies a well-fitting N95 as the relevant respirator option.
- Cooling by opening windows during smoke: check outdoor AQI first; ventilation can worsen indoor pollution.
- Relying on one app for local rules: water restrictions, fire-danger statements, and emergency directives come from local authorities and utilities.
Putting the system into practice
For a normal day, use the NWS forecast and AirNow to decide whether outdoor plans need adjustment, then glance at HeatRisk if a hot period is developing. For a smoke event, AirNow becomes the primary check: follow PM2.5 and AQI, close the building, filter continuously, and use an N95 for unavoidable outdoor exposure. For a prolonged dry period, read the weekly Drought Monitor and outlooks, but get action instructions from local water and fire authorities. When hazards overlap, protect breathing and cooling together rather than solving one problem by creating the other.
This combination gives you the right level of information for each hazard: near-real-time exposure data for smoke, authoritative alerts plus multi-day planning for heat, and weekly status with outlook context for drought.
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