Wednesday August 10, 2016 - #Soberanes Fire Smoke Impact Forecast #13

Smoke Impact Forecast #13                                                                            Soberanes Wildfire
Air Basin: North Central Coast                                                                                                 CAL FIRE IMT 4 w/ USFS
Issued for August 10, 2016                                                                     Prepared by:  Gary M. Curcio/Steve Fraidenburg
Time: 8:00 AM                                                                                                                                      ARA/ARA(t)

Smoke Synopsis:

Yesterday: The Air Quality (AQ) continued to be impaired due to fire growth.  At days end Big Sur was the most severely impacted area. Carmel Valley continued to have impacts to AQ.  Salinas Valley communities had improved AQ.  Overnight smoke moved into some northern communities due to shift in transport winds. Today: Due to a directional change in transport winds smoke is expected to move north today.  Early morning smoke is being experienced by some, particularly Monterey, Carmel, Carmel Valley and Salinas Valley. This has been factored into the AQ Table. Big Sur is expected to be Very Unhealthy all day.  Carmel Valley is expected to be unhealthy.  Monterey, Toro Park, and Fort Ord are expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Smoke is expected to continue impacting the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra foothills. The northern San Luis Obispo County, especially coastal areas, are being affected by smoke. Changes to AQ today are results of continued burning, forecasted weather, and dispersion models. Tomorrow: With warmer and drier weather conditions forecasted fire growth and interior burning, smoke production is expected to increase and AQ degrade. Smoke transport is expected to be similar to Wednesday as well as impacts to those affected communities.

Air Quality Outlook:

Location		Yesterday August 9th Observed		Today August 10th    Forecasted	Tomorrow August 11th    Forecasted		Comments: Today- Times of impaired air quality are projected below. During these periods Air Quality can be variable.
Santa Cruz		Good		Good	Moderate
Gilroy		Good		Moderate	Moderate		Smoke through the day with clearing in the evening
Hollister		Good		Moderate	Moderate		Smoke through the day with clearing in the evening
Salinas		Good		Moderate	Moderate		Smoke through the day with clearing in the evening
Toro Park		Good		Unhealthy SG	Unhealthy SG		Smoke through the day and night
Monterey ARB		Good		Unhealthy SG	Unhealthy SG		Smoke through the day and night
Carmel River Sch		Good		Moderate	Unhealthy SG		Smoke in morning, improving in the afternoon
Carmel Valley		Moderate		Unhealthy	Unhealthy		Smoke through the day and night
Gonzales		Good		Unhealthy SG	Unhealthy		Morning smoke, clearing in the afternoon
Soledad		Good		Moderate	Unhealthy		Smoke through the day and night
Greenfield		Good		Moderate	Unhealthy		Smoke through the day and night
King City		Good		Moderate	Unhealthy		Smoke through the day and night
SJ Baut		Moderate		Moderate	Moderate		Smoke through the day with clearing in the evening
Fort Ord		Moderate		Unhealthy SG	Unhealthy SG		Smoke through the day and night
Big Sur		Unhealthy		Very Unhealthy	Very Unhealthy		Smoke through the day and night
Pacific Grove		Moderate		Moderate	Moderate		Smoke in morning, improving in the afternoon
Lockwood		Moderate		Moderate	Moderate		Smoke through the day and night
Disclaimer:  Air quality predictions reflect only fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Sensitive individuals including people with asthma or heart disease, infants, children, pregnant women and older adults should take precautions to avoid exposure to smoke. If you experience health effects from smoke, contact your doctor or health professional. Observed & Forecasted Air Quality is based on the Air Quality Index using the 24 Hour Average.
*See Air Quality Index Table on next page
	AQI Category (PM2.5 µg/m3)		Potential Health Impacts			Actions to Protect Yourself
	Good (0-12)		Little or no health risk			None
	Moderate (13-35)		Air quality is acceptable for most. There may be moderate health concern for a small number of sensitive people.			Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups – USG (36-55)		Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects.  The general public is not likely to be affected.			People with heart or lung disease, children and older adults should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.  Everyone else should limit prolonged or heavy exertion.
	Unhealthy (56-150)		Everyone may begin to experience more serious health effects.			The following groups should avoid all physical outdoor activity: People with heart or lung disease, children and older adults.  Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
	Very Unhealthy (151-250)		Triggers a health alert, everyone may experience more serious health effects			Everyone should avoid any outdoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should remain indoors.
	Hazardous (>250)		The entire population is even more likely to be affected by serious health effects.			The following groups should remain indoors and keep activity levels low: People with heart or lung disease; children and older adults. Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion

Learn more at:

a)        California Air District: Monterey Bay Unified  http://mbard.org/air-quality/

b)        Soberanes Fire Information: Inciweb  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4888/

c)        California Smoke Blog - http://californiasmokeinfo.blogspot.com/