Saturday, Sept. 13th, 2014, Wildfire Air Quality Report for the Klamath Region

Air Quality Summary                                                                 

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Prepared by: Ryan Bauer (USDA-FS) and Dan Chan (GA-GFC)

Yesterday Morning smoke in valleys and drainages was cleaned out by increasing southerly winds by around noon in most places. Smoke was pushed to the northeast of the fires most of the day. By late afternoon a northwesterly wind developed over southern Oregon clearing smoke from Medford and pushing smoke in a more easterly direction into the Shasta Valley. By evening smoke had begun settling into Scott Valley. A new fire northwest of Hoopa, named the Bald Hill 3, produced enough smoke to be visible but has not yet caused any serious smoke impacts to communities. Today Southerly winds will continue over the region today. Smoke that pooled overnight in the valleys and drainages will begin to clear by late morning as southwesterly winds increase. Ft. Jones, Yreka, and Klamath River communities upstream of Happy Camp will have the highest impacts again this afternoon and evening, and Ashland, OR is likely to experience smoke impacts through the afternoon but should begin clearing in the evening. Communities in the lower Klamath River, Trinity, and Salmon drainage could see air quality impacts from the Bald Hill 3 fire if it continues to grow today. Tomorrow Conditions are forecast to be similar to today as smoke will be pushed north again. Smoke concentrations are likely to remain high in the upper Klamath River drainage north of the fires and in Yreka and Ft. Jones.
Site	September 12 Yesterday’s AQI	September 13 Today’s AQI	September 14 Predicted AQI	Likely Time of Highest Impacts Today
Yreka	Moderate	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Afternoon/Early Evening
Ft. Jones	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Afternoon/Early Evening
Etna	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Evening
Macdoel	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Late Afternoon/ Evening
Seiad Valley	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Early Afternoon
Happy Camp	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Early Afternoon
Somes Bar	Moderate	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Afternoon
Orleans	Moderate	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Afternoon
Weitchpec	Moderate	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Afternoon
Hoopa	Moderate	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Late Afternoon/Evening
Willow Creek	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Evening
Mt. Shasta	Good	Good	Good	Evening
Weed	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Evening
Sawyers Bar	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Moderate	Late Morning
PLEASE NOTE: The air quality outlook is based on data from automated instruments that have not been subjected to a quality assurance review. AQI’s estimated for sites with air monitors.