LAKEPORT >> Air quality in Lake County dropped to the “Moderate to Unhealthy” range on Thursday, due to visible smoke intrusions into the basin.
The potential for localized areas of unhealthy air, regional haze, and particulate from these fires are expected to continue throughout Lake County through the weekend until the weather pattern changes.
The smoke and haze clouding the air resulted from transport smoke from numerous fires in Northern California and Southern Oregon. The Helena Fire in Trinity County contributed, according to a notice from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. However, several other events added to the haze, including the Chetco Bar fire currently burning 128,700 acres in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
“Today’s degraded air quality is the result of ultra fine particulates and other air pollutants contained in the smoke combined with the high temperatures and humidity,” said Douglas Gearhart of the Lake County Air Quality Management District in a prepared statement issued Thursday afternoon.
The District continues to actively monitoring the transport smoke impacts. If it continues, areas of the County may experience short duration significant smoke impacts in the unhealthy range.
In addition to particulates and smoke-related pollutants, Air Quality Management was concerned over the possibility of increased ground-level ozone. Ozone is generated when combustion products in the smoke combined with the high temperatures, sunlight, and humidity.
“When smoke is present in the Lake County Air Basin, individuals with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other lung or heart diseases should carefully adhere to their medical treatment plans and maintain at least a five-day supply of prescribed medications,” Gearhart explained. “They should limit outdoor activity and unnecessary physical exertion.”
Air conditioning that recirculates indoor air should be used, when available. Drinking plenty of water to avoid drying of the airways is recommended, unless restricted for medical reasons.
Gearhart pointed out that dust masks are not protective against fine particulate, which is the pollutant most detrimental to health caused by wildfire smoke. Such masks are only useful in filtering out the ash and larger particles that are encountered in burn areas.
Air purifying respirators, such as N-95 filtering face pieces, may be effective in reducing harmful particulate matter, but also increase the work of breathing, which can lead to physiologic stress, and are not recommended as a general protective measure.
With air quality forecast in the “Moderate to Unhealthy” range, people are recommended to use caution and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
