Google recently made going to places with fresh air a lot easier.

The search giant announced it is adding a new feature in its Maps app wherein people could check the air quality of a specific place before going there.

Google added the previously mentioned feature alongside a reminder to use Google Maps' wildfre layer to track active wildfires around a particular place if there are any.

Google Maps Air Quality Filter Details

Google mentioned in its announcement that it added a new layer to Google maps with which people could check out the air quality conditions of a certain place before going there to know if it's safe to do so. As such, the filter could be used in situations when planning outdoor activities or when someone has an issue with their lungs that prevents them from going to polluted places. 

Google Maps' new air quality layer will provide people with the air quality index (AQI), or the measure of how healthy or unhealthy the air is, along with pointers for outdoor activities when the information provided was last updated and links to learn more. 

The app's new air quality layer shows data gathered from trusted government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency in the US. it would also display air quality information from PurpleAir, a low-cost network that provides a more targeted view of conditions at the street level. 

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The data from PurpleAir can also be viewed on Nest displays and speakers, allowing more people in the US to access critical air quality information directly from their Nest devices.

Google Maps' new air quality layer is available to the Google Maps app for both Android and iOS devices for free. 

To use the layer, go to the Google Maps app and then select the layer icon on the top right of the screen. Doing so will open a window featuring the app's many available layers. tapping on the "Air Quality" layer will activate it, displaying the air quality of any location. 

Google Maps Active Wildfire Layer Details

Google has also reminded users about using Google Maps' wildfire layer that would allow people to know more details about active wildfires in an area through its partnership with the National Interagency Fire Center.

The layer will provide people with details about active wildfires, such as where and when it was reported, as well as planned or prescribed ones in an area, allowing people to evacuate and/or plan their visits and routes accordingly. 

To use the wildfire layer, open Google Maps and tap the layer icon on the top right portion of the screen. Then, tap on the "wildfires" option and await results from Google.

Google mentioned that it would add a way to provide Google maps users with data regarding smoke across the US from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to its air quality information on Google search, especially ones from wildfires. 

The Verge mentioned that Google added the wildfire layer to track wildfires' locations in 2021.

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