LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The American Lung Association has released its annual State of the Air report, which once again puts Lake County at the top of clean air rankings nationwide.

In the 2017 report, state and local area air quality are graded on an A through F scale by comparing local ozone and small-particulate concentrations with the federal air quality standards.

Although many areas, especially within California, were given failing grades, Lake County passed with flying colors.

Lake County received a “A” grade for Ozone and a “B” grade for short term particulate pollution, and is ranked the third-cleanest county in the nation for annual particulate average concentrations.

Lake County did not change significantly from previous annual averages even though the period of time covered by this report includes the Valley, Rocky and Jerusalem fires, according to Douglas Gearhart, air pollution control officer of the Lake County Air Quality Management District.

Out of California’s 58 counties, Lake County is one of only nine that did not have any days of ozone exceeds from 2013 through 2015. Gearhart said this impressive record has been documented by continuous air quality monitoring.

The report presents data showing what the residents of Lake County actually are breathing on a daily basis, Gearhart said. It does not exclude wildfire impacts or other natural events that may be excluded when determining attainment status.

The “B” grade for short term particulate pollution is the result of impacts from the 2015 wildfires. Gearhart said this shows that despite the Valley, Rocky, Jerusalem and other fires, the residents of Lake County still enjoy some of the cleanest air in the nation.

The American Lung Association grades are the latest recognition of a long history of air quality accomplishments in Lake County.

Strong local support for clean air measures has enabled the county to comply in full with not only the Federal Clean Air Standards, but also with the more rigorous California Standards for ozone and other air pollutants for the past 26 consecutive years. No other air district in California can match that record, Gearhart said.

Gearhart attributes the success of the program to strong community support, cooperation of local agencies, fire protection districts, Cal Fire, the agricultural community, industry, the district board of directors, and to the dedication and hard work of Air Quality Management District staff.

“The third cleanest county in the nation for particulate matter is a significant indicator of the hard work and dedication this community has to maintaining a healthful environment,” Gearhart said. “Even with the drought and wildfires of recent years, we still enjoy the Lake County clean air.”