ROANOKE, Va. – About 125 million people live in areas of the country with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the American Lung Association's latest State of the Air report.
The most unhealthy places to breathe are two cities in California: Bakersfield and Los Angeles.
According to the report, some cities are seeing spikes in particle pollution from wildfires factories and vehicles.
Pollutants can cause severe asthma attacks -- particularly in vulnerable children -- and that's not all.
"Particle pollution is especially risky for cardiovascular harm, like heart disease, stroke. It also is greatly risky for people with diabetes and it causes lung cancer," said Janice Nolen, with the American Lung Association.
Cities with the cleanest air are nearly all on the East Coast, including Burlington, Vermont and Naples, Florida.
Click here to see how Roanoke's air compares to that of Bakersfield.