Fog and fireworks smoke send England PM2.5 to highest levels
Some parts of England woke up to seriously high air pollution on Monday, thanks to a combination of foggy weather and leftover smoke from fireworks and bonfires.
government monitors flagged 11 spots, mostly in London and Greater Manchester, where pollution hit the top of the scale.
Hillingdon in west London was especially bad, with PM2.5 levels well above what is considered safe by the World Health Organization.
London mayor's spokesperson issues high-pollution warning
Experts say fall celebrations plus foggy weather trapped all those emissions close to the ground.
Jane Burston, the CEO of Clean Air Fund, stressed we need better air quality forecasts and health alerts so people know when it is risky outside.
Larissa Lockwood, the director of campaigns at Global Action Plan, pointed out that burning materials at home and traffic are big contributors, suggesting "burn alerts" during bad days.
With things getting this serious, a spokesperson for the mayor of London has already issued a high-pollution warning based on expert forecasts.