San Diego County's air quality is getting better.
The 16th annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association shows for the first time since 2000, San Diego did not make the report’s top 10 list of America’s most polluted metropolitan areas.
The report reveals since 2000, the number of unhealthy ozone days in the county has fallen by 80 percent, and the number of unhealthy spikes in particle pollution fell by 92 percent.
The Lung Association's Debra Kelley said the county has made great strides.
"California has very strict clean air laws, and we drive the cleanest cars in America," Kelley said. "We’re also driving the change from fossil fuels to renewable energy, so that helps.”
However, Kelley said some parts of the state continue to suffer from poor air quality. The report finds the Los Angeles and Fresno-Madera regions are the most polluted metropolitan areas in the country.
Further improvements in air quality will be difficult as the state faces rising temperatures and a long-lasting drought, according to the report.
