LAKE COUNTY — The 16 Complex and North Pass fires continue to burn resulting in smoke, haze and degraded air quality.
Weather forecasts indicate favorable conditions should continue to push smoke away from the Lake County air basin. However, the settling of smoke into the basin is likely and could result in intermittent air quality degradation, according to Lake County Air Quality Management District Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart.
Air Quality conditions were significantly better than forecasted for Thursday, mostly because of better meteorological conditions than anticipated.
Areas close to the fires experienced some degradation of air quality Thursday, but most areas of the Lake County experienced good to moderate air quality.
Levels of ozone and particulate were elevated, but did not exceed State health-based air quality standards. Today expect good-to-moderate air quality in Lake County.
The greatest concern exists for the North Shore communities, Clearlake, and the southeastern portions of Lake County, although all areas of the County may be impacted.
Smoke impacts are most likely to occur during the early morning hours through mid-day today. At times today areas in the county could experience unhealthy air quality levels as smoke settles into the basin.
Smoky conditions can cause irritation to eyes, nose and air passages.
These conditions can be hazardous for sensitive people including young children, senior citizens, people with heart conditions and those with chronic lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.
The good-to-moderate air quality alert results from fine particulate in the smoke and ground level ozone, generated by combustion products in the smoke combined with the high temperatures, significant sunlight, and humidity.
Other chemical reactions reduce visibility by forming secondary particulates. Poor air quality, haze and particulate from the ongoing wildfires is expected to continue throughout Lake County until the fires are out.
