Low-cost air pollution sensors reveal stark disparities in exposure to extreme heat and air pollution in Contra Costa County, a major traffic corridor and oil refinery hub near San Francisco.By Liza GrossThe Bay Area Air District kicked off the new year with a warning for residents of the nine counties around San Francisco: if they lit a fireplace, wood stove or outdoor fire pit, they would have to either take a course on the health effects of wood smoke or pay a fine.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: February 24, 2026 10:22 PM
Atmospheric CO₂
429.9 ppm
+17.3
ppm/year
Atmospheric CH₄
1946.47 ppb
+6.49
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
World Population
8.1 billion
+67
million/year