Fairbanks, Alaska (30) had more "unhealthy" air days in 2014 than Salt Lake City (17). So did Missoula (18) and San Diego (18).

How is this possible? Because in rural mountain valleys like those in Idaho and Montana and Alaska, you can get the same inversion conditions as in Utah in the wintertime.

While there obviously isn't as much industry or vehicle traffic in those places as in Salt Lake City, there are plenty of wood stoves and fireplaces that run 24 hours a day when it's really cold. Unlike here, where wood burning is prohibited during the inversions.

It gives you an idea of what air quality in Salt Lake City was like 100 years ago when everyone burned coal or wood to keep warm. There's no argument: The air Utahns breathe today is cleaner than at anytime in the past 100 years, and probably is cleaner since the transcontinental railroad arrived in 1869.

Much of what you read or hear in the news about air pollution today is little more than panic-mongering by the Media and environmental groups.