Fresno celebrated its cleanest Fourth of July in years, with pollution dropping to just levels barely above EPA standards. The drop – at 36 micrograms per cubic meter – marks a dramatic three-year decline from 163 micrograms in 2023 and 60 micrograms in 2024.
Bakersfield maintained its unwelcome title as the firework capital of the San Joaquin Valley Thursday night, recording pollution levels of 155 micrograms per cubic meter – more than four times the EPA’s recommended daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter for fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
The south valley city topped the valley for the second consecutive year despite improving from 2024’s peak of 280 micrograms per cubic meter. Visalia also showed continued progress, recording 53 micrograms per cubic meter compared to 110 micrograms last year…