Beijing is raising the bar for what constitutes an “airpocalypse”.

According to Beijing’s Environmental Bureau, beginning in March, a red alert for air pollution will only be called if the local air quality index (AQI) is forecast to exceed 500 for one day, 300 for two days in a row, or 200 for four consecutive days.

Currently, regulations state that a red alert can be issued if Beijing’s AQI is anticipated to exceed 200 for three consecutive days.

Beijing issued its first-ever red alert for smog last December, closely followed by a second. Under a red alert, school is cancelled, and car use is restricted by a policy which prevents half of all drivers from driving. Other emergency measures include limits on factory operations and construction.

The new regulations are designed to “standardize” pollution alerts for cities in the nearby vicinity, including Tianjin and four Hebei cities. Presently, a red alert for smog is only issued in these areas if the local AQI exceed 500 for a day. As AQI tops out at 500, air pollution in excess of 500 is simply not measurable.

Beijing recently announced plans to spend $2.5 billion to fight air pollution in the city as well as other preventative measures. The city made it much easier for drivers to obtain license plates so long as they invest in electric cars, and also announced it will invest in the creation of “ventilation corridors” to blow smog away from the city center.