Santa Barbara County Expands Community Air Quality Monitoring

The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) is launching a program to install about 150 PurpleAir air quality sensors at schools, government buildings, and nonprofit facilities across the county. The initiative, approved in June 2025 and funded through grants, aims to close data gaps in areas without adequate monitoring, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities identified by the State of California.

The sensors will measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from sources such as smoke, soot, and dust. Data collected will be publicly available through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Fire & Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov), complementing APCD’s existing network of permanent monitoring stations and about 50 previously installed PurpleAir sensors.

While the sensors provide valuable neighborhood-level data, they are classified as low-cost monitors and do not meet federal, state, or local regulatory standards. As a result, the data cannot be used for enforcement or regulatory action but will help communities better understand local air quality conditions.