Spare The Air announces new air quality system, old alert system ends Saturday

Summer is approaching in Sacramento and, with it, the potential for triple-digit temperatures and elevated pollution levels.

To prepare, the Sacramento Metropolitan, El Dorado, Feather River, Placer and Yolo-Solano air districts have launched an updated Spare The Air air quality alert system for the 2025 season, which began May 1 and ends Oct. 31. The season is marked by increased warnings about high ozone levels and excessive heat that can impact pulmonary health.

“During the summer months, ground-level ozone (smog) increases and can affect everyone’s health,” according to the Spare The Air website. “A Spare The Air day is issued when the Air Quality Index (AQI) for smog is forecast to meet or exceed 126.”

The new Air Alert system includes a text message feature aimed at helping residents make informed decisions about outdoor activities during high pollution periods.

How do I sign-up for alerts?

To continue receiving air quality and heat notifications, Sacramento-area residents must subscribe to the new system by Saturday at SpareTheAir.com/signup. The previous email alert service will be discontinued the same day.

Subscribers can choose to receive updates via SMS text, which will deliver Spare The Air day alerts, or by email, which includes daily AQI forecasts and air quality advisories.

Those who have already registered must activate their account using the same email address they used to sign up. Spare The Air noted that some confirmation emails may have been routed to spam folders.

Residents experiencing issues with registration or activation can contact info@sparetheair.com for assistance.

This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM.