LAKE COUNTY — The Lake County Air Quality Management District Thursday issued another unhealthy air quality alert.
The Mills Fire in the Colusa County portion of the Mendocino National Forest continues to burn, resulting in smoke, haze and degraded air quality. Because of weather patterns and lack of control of the fire, Lake County has experienced unhealthy air quality.
Values have exceeded state health-based particulate standards for small respirable particulate and ozone (photochemical smog).
The prediction for Friday, given expected wind conditions and levels of particulate in the air, is “unhealthy for sensitive individuals” to “unhealthy for everyone” in Lake County. Greatest concern exists from mid-morning through early evening, with conditions expected to improve as the afternoon west wind starts to clear out the smoke.
The unhealthy alert results from smoke transported by winds and ozone generated with the smoke, high temperatures, significant sunlight and humidity. The smoke and sunlight cause chemical reactions in the air that further reduces visibility by forming secondary particles in addition to those already in the smoke. These particles draw the moisture out of the air, growing in number and size, making the haze even worse.
Smoky conditions can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and air passages, which can be hazardous for sensitive people including young children, the elderly, people with heart conditions or chronic lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions. The heat can make the stress worse, especially if exercising hard.
Residual haze and particulate from the many ongoing wildfires can be expected to continue throughout Lake County until the fires are out.
