A BREATH OF The Air is Better Up Here. -Angie Johnson-Schmit
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orthern and Central Arizona have been known for great air quality since the 1800s. It’s no secret that the higher elevation, low humidity, and vast swaths of ponderosa pine forests are part of that excellent air quality. As recently as 2015, the American Lung Association named Prescott, AZ as having the best air quality in the country, with Flagstaff, AZ rounding out the top five. Air quality is intertwined with the landscape, climate, and water. There is a near ideal balance of these elements in the region. Since the onset of tuberculosis (TB) in the late 19th century, people traveled to Prescott in an effort to manage the disease. Once the site of sanitoriums for those dealing with consumption, there are several TB cottages still standing in town. Perhaps Prescott’s most famous TB asylum seeker was professional gambler, dentist, and gunfighter, John Henry “Doc” Holliday. After contracting the disease, he traveled west, eventually landing in Arizona. While his time in Prescott was more about card playing than recovery, he was likely familiar with the town’s reputation as a good place for those suffering with TB.
Part of what makes air quality in the region so good is due in large measure to the forests. The Prescott National Forest is home to both evergreens like ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir trees, and deciduous oak trees.
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