After fires destroyed multiple neighborhoods across Los Angeles County, many residents looked up to find blue, smoke-free skies this week. The Air Quality Index (AQI) — which measures the concentration of pollutants in the air — seemed to confirm all was well in the L.

Calculating air pollution from wildfires and other events has become more complicated. That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily more accurate.

Already known for having some of the worst air quality in the U.S., people in Southern California are now also at risk of inhaling smoke.

Los Angeles is now a week removed from the day that multiple devastating wildfires erupted to torch tens of thousands of acres. But still, the question remains if people should wear masks to limit their exposure to toxins in the air.

Smoke from several wildfires in metro Los Angeles negatively affects the air quality of a population of about 18 million people. Air quality in Los Angeles was at "moderate" levels on Thursday morning,

During the wildfires, several communities throughout LA County experienced poor air quality. Chris Chavez, deputy policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, says many people are now breathing toxic air.

KCRW and R&S Kayne Foundation Los Angeles held a public information panel and Q&A session regarding immediate and long-term health considerations from the fires. Watch in English or Spanish.