City report · Alabama, United States
Birmingham Air quality today
Air quality in Birmingham currently reads AQI 74 (Moderate): Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
Air quality right now
AQI 74
Moderate
- PM2.5, fine particles (µg/m³)
- 21.5
- tree cover
- 14.5%
- trees in this area
- 45.6K
- more trees needed
- 48.7K
Measured across a 1.2 mi (2 km) radius around Central City, Birmingham, AL, USA (4.9 sq mi), from a satellite image of Sep 15, 2026. Lower AQI is better: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous.
Birmingham · AQI 74 (Moderate)
Birmingham's tree count comes to 45,553 trees across 4.9 sq mi (12.57 km²), 16 points below the 30% tree-cover level considered healthy for this area, so roughly 48,695 more trees would close the gap.
Air quality detail
Air quality in Birmingham today: AQI 74, Moderate
Main pollutant: PM2.5 · Observed Nov 11, 09:00 local time via OpenAQ ground stations, US EPA index. Values in µg/m³.
Ground station · Hoover, 8.8 mi (14.2 km) away · median of 4 stations
Health signal
Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
PM2.5
21.5
PM10
56.0
NO₂
—
O₃
0.0
SO₂
—
CO
—
Data: OpenAQ · AirGradient, AirNow
- Outdoor exercise
- Fine for most people; unusually sensitive people should take long or hard exercise easier
- Windows
- Fine to open; close them if you are sensitive to pollution
- Mask
- Not needed for most people
- Air purifier
- Worth running if you are sensitive
Over the last 7 days, the CAMS air-quality model put Birmingham's daily AQI at 43 on average, from 24 on Nov 8 to an hourly peak of 82 on Nov 9.
Where Birmingham stands: the most polluted cities in the world right now · the cleanest
Tree cover detail
Tree cover in Birmingham: Critically low
14.5% tree cover against a 30% healthy-neighborhood target, across 4.9 sq mi (12.57 km²).
Trees in this area
45,553
Target trees
94,248
More trees needed
48,695
CO₂ if planted / yr
1,071 t
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Birmingham lost?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Birmingham has lost about 3,010 acres (1,220 hectares) of forest (about 2,300 football fields): 8.7% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (79%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for towns and roads.
2017: satellite photo from September 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km north of the city center.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 3,010 acres (1,220 ha)about 2,300 football fields
- Share of its forest
- 8.7%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 2,390 acres (966 ha)deforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
The worst year was 2011, when about 353 acres (143 hectares) of forest were lost.
Acres of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 93 acres (38 ha) | under 1 ha | 94 acres (38 ha) |
| 2002 | 150 acres (61 ha) | 184 acres (74 ha) | 334 acres (135 ha) |
| 2003 | 103 acres (42 ha) | 187 acres (76 ha) | 289 acres (117 ha) |
| 2004 | 100 acres (41 ha) | 71 acres (29 ha) | 171 acres (69 ha) |
| 2005 | 190 acres (77 ha) | 2 acres (1 ha) | 192 acres (78 ha) |
| 2006 | 234 acres (95 ha) | 36 acres (15 ha) | 269 acres (109 ha) |
| 2007 | 215 acres (87 ha) | 10 acres (4 ha) | 224 acres (91 ha) |
| 2008 | 116 acres (47 ha) | 50 acres (20 ha) | 166 acres (67 ha) |
| 2009 | 122 acres (49 ha) | under 1 ha | 122 acres (49 ha) |
| 2010 | 70 acres (28 ha) | 13 acres (5 ha) | 83 acres (33 ha) |
| 2011 | 353 acres (143 ha) | under 1 ha | 353 acres (143 ha) |
| 2012 | 21 acres (8 ha) | under 1 ha | 22 acres (9 ha) |
| 2013 | 48 acres (20 ha) | 19 acres (8 ha) | 67 acres (27 ha) |
| 2014 | 30 acres (12 ha) | 9 acres (4 ha) | 38 acres (16 ha) |
| 2015 | 45 acres (18 ha) | under 1 ha | 46 acres (19 ha) |
| 2016 | 101 acres (41 ha) | 8 acres (3 ha) | 108 acres (44 ha) |
| 2017 | 31 acres (12 ha) | 4 acres (2 ha) | 35 acres (14 ha) |
| 2018 | 99 acres (40 ha) | 21 acres (9 ha) | 120 acres (49 ha) |
| 2019 | 54 acres (22 ha) | 8 acres (3 ha) | 63 acres (25 ha) |
| 2020 | 39 acres (16 ha) | under 1 ha | 39 acres (16 ha) |
| 2021 | 35 acres (14 ha) | under 1 ha | 35 acres (14 ha) |
| 2022 | 34 acres (14 ha) | under 1 ha | 36 acres (15 ha) |
| 2023 | 19 acres (8 ha) | under 1 ha | 19 acres (8 ha) |
| 2024 | 69 acres (28 ha) | under 1 ha | 69 acres (28 ha) |
| 2025 | 19 acres (8 ha) | under 1 ha | 20 acres (8 ha) |
What is causing deforestation around Birmingham?
- Towns and roadscleared for good72% · 2,160 acres (874 ha)
- Loggingcan grow back20% · 610 acres (247 ha)
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good5.9% · 177 acres (72 ha)
Also: mining and energy, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020
- Forest in 2000
- 45,100 acres (18,200 ha)
- Forest in 2020
- 44,000 acres (17,800 ha)
- Overall change
- −1,100 acres (447 ha)less forest than in 2000
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Birmingham shrank from about 45,100 acres (18,200 hectares) to 44,000 acres (17,800 hectares), a net loss of about 1,100 acres (447 hectares) (−2.5%). New forest grew on about 776 acres (314 hectares), but 1,880 acres (761 hectares) were lost.
These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
These figures cover everything within 10 km of the city center, a wider area than the report above, because forest is usually lost at a city's edges.
Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, Global Forest Change (GFC-2025-v1.13); causes: WRI/Google DeepMind drivers of forest loss; both CC BY 4.0, summed by Airleaf for each area. Forest gained and lost 2000–2020: Potapov et al. 2022, UMD GLAD Global Land Cover and Land Use Change, CC BY 4.0. Images: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data. How it's measured
In the same region
Measured cities near Birmingham
Same 2 km radius, same index — so they compare directly.
- Tuscaloosa79.2 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 40%
- Air quality
- 26
- Huntsville136.0 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 35%
- Air quality
- 59
- Montgomery136.6 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 44%
- Air quality
- 152
- Columbus206.2 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 37%
- Air quality
- 37
- South Fulton208.9 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 72%
- Air quality
- 53
- Chattanooga218.1 km
United States
- Tree cover
- 16%
- Air quality
- 53
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Frequently asked
Questions about Birmingham
What is the air quality (AQI) in Birmingham right now?
The latest reading for Birmingham shows an AQI of 74 (Moderate), measured Nov 11, 09:00 local time by 4 ground monitoring stations via OpenAQ (the median of their readings; the nearest is Hoover, 8.8 mi (14.2 km) away). The main pollutant is PM2.5. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
Is it safe to exercise outside in Birmingham today?
At AQI 74 (Moderate): fine for most people; unusually sensitive people should take long or hard exercise easier. Windows: fine to open; close them if you are sensitive to pollution. Masks: not needed for most people. The reading changes through the day, so check again before a long run or ride.
What has the air quality in Birmingham been like this week?
Over the last 7 days, the CAMS air-quality model put Birmingham's daily AQI at 43 on average, from 24 on Nov 8 to an hourly peak of 82 on Nov 9. No day averaged above 100, the level where the air turns unhealthy for sensitive groups.
How much forest has the area around Birmingham lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Birmingham has lost about 3,010 acres (1,220 hectares) of forest (about 2,300 football fields): 8.7% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (79%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for towns and roads. Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Birmingham shrank from about 45,100 acres (18,200 hectares) to 44,000 acres (17,800 hectares), a net loss of about 1,100 acres (447 hectares) (−2.5%). New forest grew on about 776 acres (314 hectares), but 1,880 acres (761 hectares) were lost.
What is the tree count in Birmingham?
Birmingham has an estimated 45,553 trees across the 4.9 sq mi (12.57 km²) measured — 14.5% tree cover, 16 percentage points short of the 30% tree-cover target set for this area.
How many more trees does Birmingham need?
Birmingham needs roughly 48,695 more trees to close a 16-point shortfall against its 30% tree-cover target — about 1,071 t of extra CO₂ absorbed per year once grown.
How are Birmingham's air quality and tree cover measured?
Air quality is measured by ground monitoring stations near Central City, via OpenAQ; the 7-day trend is the Open-Meteo / CAMS model's estimate. Tree cover is measured from Sentinel-2 L2A (ESA Copernicus) via Earth Search satellite imagery at 10 m detail across a 1.2 mi (2 km) radius around Central City; the tree count is an estimate derived from that cover.
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