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Augusta Low smoke · AQI 0–50 Some pollution · AQI 51–100 Unhealthy (sensitive) · AQI 101–150 Unhealthy+ · AQI 151+
Top pick
Columbia
#1ColumbiaSome particle pollution · AQI 56~1 h 30 min drive
South Carolina· PM2.5 11.8 µg/m³
A major South Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.
About the same air — still smoky.
PM2.5 is 11.8 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
South Carolina community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.
About the same air — still smoky.
PM2.5 is 12.3 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
South Carolina community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.
Worse air than home. Don't bother.
PM2.5 is 16 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 16/22 × 7 = 5.1 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
Upstate South Carolina town below Table Rock and the Blue Ridge escarpment, with cool foothill air.
About the same air — still smoky.
PM2.5 is 11.4 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
#14GreenvilleSome particle pollution · AQI 55~2 h 50 min drive
South Carolina· PM2.5 11.4 µg/m³
A major South Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.
About the same air — still smoky.
PM2.5 is 11.4 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
Foothills equestrian town on the Blue Ridge escarpment, cooler than the Piedmont with inns and B&Bs.
About the same air — still smoky.
PM2.5 is 11.4 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
Lake Lanier resort city in the north Georgia foothills, with open-water air and lakeside lodging.
About the same air — still smoky.
PM2.5 is 12.1 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12.1/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
South Carolina community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.
Worse air than home. Don't bother.
PM2.5 is 14.1 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 14.1/22 × 7 = 4.5 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
#18BooneLow smoke · AQI 7~5 h 20 min drivesaves 3.5 cigs/wk
North Carolina· PM2.5 1.3 µg/m³
Blue Ridge college town near 3,300 feet in North Carolina's High Country, with cool mountain air and abundant lodging.
89% cleaner than home — pack the car.
PM2.5 is 1.3 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
11 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Augusta right now
Greenbrier Valley town in the Allegheny highlands, a historic base with inns and cool ridge-country air.
88% cleaner than home — pack the car.
PM2.5 is 1.5 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.5/22 × 7 = 0.5 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
10.8 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Augusta right now
Shenandoah Valley town ringed by the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies, with a walkable historic downtown of inns.
85% cleaner than home — pack the car.
PM2.5 is 1.9 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.9/22 × 7 = 0.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
10.4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Augusta right now
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Last scan Jul 22, 10:27 a.m. EDT · 34 min ago
Why live rankings? Smoke plumes are patchy and shift with the wind, so no direction is reliably cleaner. This list is recalculated from live PM2.5 every hour — and if everything nearby is smoky, it says so.