Monitoring will become increasingly important due to air quality events caused by wildfires.
Gail Good, Director of the Air Management Program for the Wisconsin DNR, talked with the Natural Resources Board about concerns caused by wildfire smoke.
A July event caused the Air Quality Index or AQI to hit the very unhealthy to hazardous level across the state.
Good says health impacts included a spike in reported asthma attacks.
“The number of ED (Emergency Department) visits for severe asthma in July of 2026 was quite a bit higher than in past Julys actually, “ said Good. “July in Wisconsin on average from 2021 to 2025 sees around 1600 emergency department visits. In 2026 we saw over 2000 visits for severe asthma.”
Good said Wisconsin has a good network of continuous air monitors, but there are gaps.
“In particular in the northern part of the state where this year in particular we experienced, last year as well, the northern part of the state really experienced significant wildfire smoke events and AQIs (Air Quality Indexes) and concentrations that were quite high,” said Good.
Good says they are looking at how to expand coverage so people have a good understanding of air quality levels.
She says there are a number of possible ways to do that, including sensor monitors that some states are moving to that can give an indication of air quality.
She did note funding will be needed.