SJVAPCD warns Valley residents of increasing health impacts from poor air quality this weekend

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District warned residents of the Valley to stay indoors this weekend, if possible, due to increased particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions throughout the area.

Much of the problem is due to continuing smoke from fires to the north and the SQF Fire Complex in eastern Tulare County.

Photo credit: SJVAPCD website

However,  meteorological conditions are complicating everything due to winds from the northwest and a high pressure system developing over the area that reduces smoke dispersion. The high pressure acts as a "lid" over the Valley, which is shaped somewhat like a "bowl" with mountains on 3 sides. The winds transport smoke from the northern fires into the bowl, and the central and southern portions of the Valley are further impacted by the Tulare fire smoke.

The District cautions that the smoke impacts may be more noticeable during the night and early morning.

PM pollution can trigger asthma attacks, aggravate chronic bronchitis, and increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. This can be especially problematic for the elderly and young children, as well as those with heart or lung disease. Furthermore, the cloth and paper face masks currently being used to reduce transmission of the COVID19 virus may be of little use to prevent the inhalation of wildfire smoke due to the less than 2.5 micron size of the smoke particles.

SJVAPCD reissues health advisory due to smoke from wildfires

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District reissued a health advisory for Valley residents due to continuing smoke from California wildfires. The cautionary notice will remain in place until all of the fires are put out.

Photo Credit: NOAA (https://satellitemaps.nesdis.noaa.gov/arcgis/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4da21c3c398946f293e0436fb926702c)

The District said that smoke from the SQF Complex Fire in Tulare County was entering the Valley through the mountains of Tulare and Kern Counties and combining with smoke from other wildfires to impact San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, and Fresno Counties as well.

Particulate (PM) pollution from these wildfires can trigger asthma attacks, aggravate chronic bronchitis, and increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Those experiencing poor air quality should stay indoors. The District has also advised that the the simple cloth and paper masks used to prevent the transmission of COVID19 virus particles by exhalation may not be sufficient to prevent the inhalation of PM particles.

Smoke in the San Joaquin Valley still a problem

This will be just a short post. Here is a screenshot of RAAN data from the SJVAPCD for Bakersfield today.

Notice the more than tripling of PM2.5 data in the span of just a couple of hours around 11 AM to 1 PM today. It now exceeds Level 5.

Please stay inside if you can. Be sure to mask up if you are outside.

Smoke in the San Joaquin Valley - one more reason to stay indoors

If you live just about anywhere in California's San Joaquin Valley, you may have noticed that the sky is gray, the mountains are nowhere to be seen, and the acrid smell of  a burning "something" is in the air.

Wildfires throughout the state are currently impacting the Valley's air quality. As a result,  San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) air quality data is being reported as unhealthy for sensitive groups (RAAN Level 3).

Additionally, if you can smell smoke and see ash, the air may be even more unhealthy as the monitoring equipment doesn't pick up larger particles. SJVAPCD advises that if you see an area covered in ash, then you should assume the air quality is even more unhealthy (RAAN Level 4 or 5).

Currently, the SJVAPCD says that the following fires are impacting the Valley:

• The River Fire, south of Salinas in Monterey County
• SCU Lightning Complex, multiple locations throughout the NorthCoast Range
• The Lake Fire, southeast of Lebec in Los Angeles County
• The Hills Fire, west of Avenal in western Fresno County

Accordingly, everyone should take the appropriate precautions.  

UPDATE. 8/19/20 @ 6:52 PM PDT - Here is the latest date from SJVAPCD's RAAN network for Bakersfield:

Smoke from Mariposa Detwiler Fire to impact the Valley this weekend

The San Joaquin Valley APCD has issued an advisory related to smoke from the Detwiler Fire near Mariposa.

Photo: Cal Fire website

Because of the build-up of high pressure, lighter winds, and deteriorating dispersion conditions, smoke from the fire may affect air quality in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley through the weekend.

The smoke contains particulate mater (PM2.5) that can cause serious health problems including lung disease, asthma attacks, and may increase the risk for strokes and heart attacks. Those people with existing respiratory conditions, young children, and the elderly may be particularly impacted by these conditions.

The SJVAPCD urges residents to follow their doctor's orders when exposed to PM2.5 and to stay indoors if possible, particularly if they can smell smoke or see ash in the sky.

For more air quality information about current wildfires, please refer to the SJVAPCD's wildfire page.

Safeguard your health from California wildfires

http://www.examiner.com/article/safeguard-your-health-from-california-wildfires