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<p>Wildfires have become more intense and destructive in recent years, resulting in higher health risks. Since these risks affect populations and regions differently, identifying monitoring deserts and prioritizing vulnerable communities is essential for effective air quality management. However, limited attention has been given to air quality monitoring coverage. We develop upon previous studies by: (1) identifying monitoring deserts using a distance-based (30-mile) approach with both EPA regulatory monitors and low-cost sensors, (2) quantifying and comparing both all-source and wildland fire-specific PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels between monitor deserts and monitor-covered areas, (3) accounting for vulnerable subpopulations, such as nursing home (NH) residents, and (4) examining potential environmental disparities using various demographic, socioeconomic, and CDC indicators. Note that although the monitor network data are current (2025), the exposure assessment relies on air quality data from 2008 to 2018, introducing a temporal mismatch. Our results show that integrating PurpleAir sensors with EPA monitors increased coverage from 39.5% to 73.3% compared with EPA monitors only. We also found that most NHs located in monitor deserts were concentrated in the central United States. At the county level, approximately 20% of counties, covering 9.7&#xa0;million people (0.6&#xa0;million &lt; 5 years and 1.8&#xa0;million &gt; 65 years), lack coverage from both EPA regulatory monitors and low-cost air pollution sensors. 85% of these monitoring desert counties have NHs not covered by monitors and exhibit higher average PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations (6.37&#xa0;µg/m³) with more days of air quality at moderate or worse levels (72.81 days/year) compared to monitoring desert counties without NHs (4.42&#xa0;µg/m³; 30.46 days/year). Finally, we observed partial evidence that vulnerable subpopulations are more likely to reside in monitoring deserts. Our findings can help identify monitor deserts more accurately and inform the strategic placement of new monitors to improve coverage.</p>

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Improved distance-based detection of PM2.5 monitor deserts across the contiguous United States

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月14日

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  • Jihoon Jung,
  • Kyusik Kim,
  • Jesse Reyna,
  • Dewie Roth,
  • Savannah D’Evelyn,
  • Luke Montrose

摘要

Wildfires have become more intense and destructive in recent years, resulting in higher health risks. Since these risks affect populations and regions differently, identifying monitoring deserts and prioritizing vulnerable communities is essential for effective air quality management. However, limited attention has been given to air quality monitoring coverage. We develop upon previous studies by: (1) identifying monitoring deserts using a distance-based (30-mile) approach with both EPA regulatory monitors and low-cost sensors, (2) quantifying and comparing both all-source and wildland fire-specific PM2.5 levels between monitor deserts and monitor-covered areas, (3) accounting for vulnerable subpopulations, such as nursing home (NH) residents, and (4) examining potential environmental disparities using various demographic, socioeconomic, and CDC indicators. Note that although the monitor network data are current (2025), the exposure assessment relies on air quality data from 2008 to 2018, introducing a temporal mismatch. Our results show that integrating PurpleAir sensors with EPA monitors increased coverage from 39.5% to 73.3% compared with EPA monitors only. We also found that most NHs located in monitor deserts were concentrated in the central United States. At the county level, approximately 20% of counties, covering 9.7 million people (0.6 million < 5 years and 1.8 million > 65 years), lack coverage from both EPA regulatory monitors and low-cost air pollution sensors. 85% of these monitoring desert counties have NHs not covered by monitors and exhibit higher average PM2.5 concentrations (6.37 µg/m³) with more days of air quality at moderate or worse levels (72.81 days/year) compared to monitoring desert counties without NHs (4.42 µg/m³; 30.46 days/year). Finally, we observed partial evidence that vulnerable subpopulations are more likely to reside in monitoring deserts. Our findings can help identify monitor deserts more accurately and inform the strategic placement of new monitors to improve coverage.