Google Maps' most recent upgrade will now assist users in getting a breath of fresh air. The most recent version adds a new layer of data that shows users the most recent AQI or air quality index rating of a region.
Both the iOS and Android versions have been updated. The new version also allows users to get a sense of how the air in a given place will be: smoggy, smokey, otherwise awful, or just fantastic.
The new AQI layer now includes a piece of advice for appropriate outside activities, as well as a more thorough preview of what outdoor activities to avoid. Google Maps' new API will also display when the information was last updated.
The functionality is currently only available in the United States and portions of Canada. The information originates from government entities, mostly the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Maps also display air quality data from PurpleAir, a low-cost sensor network that may provide a hyperlocal perspective of conditions.
To add this air quality layer to your map, hit the button in the upper right corner of your phone's screen, then pick Air Quality from the Map Details menu. PurpleAir data is now available on Google Nest screens and Google's smart speakers.
As the wildfire season approaches in the United States, the latest version includes a wildfire layer. Forest flames have a dreadful history in the United States, notably in California.
Because Google collaborates with the United States' National Interagency Fire Center, this wildfire layer update allows users to view details about ongoing fires in the region. For significant wildfires, simply search "wildfires near me," and the relevant facts, as well as air quality information, will be displayed. "In the coming months," Google search will also include smoke data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the whole United States (NOAA).
These modifications will be implemented in other locations as well, depending on how vulnerable they are too excessive pollution and wildfires.
