Smoke
Effects Forecast #2 Lakes
Fire
Yosemite National Park
Prepared on: 9/10/16 Prepared by: Jim McNitt, Air
Resource Specialist
Overview:
The Lakes Fire, is burning in the Chilnualna Lakes area, between Turner Meadow
and Buena Vista Peak at about 8,000 feet in a designated wilderness area. It is
a lightning-caused fire that is being monitored and managed for resource and
wildlife beneift. Managing fires that are started by lightning reduces the risk
of high intensity fires and benefits the ecosystem. On 9/7/16 the fire size was
280 acres.
Smoke
Synopsis: Smoke from wildfires outside of the park elevated the
levels of particulate matter (PM) to the Moderate level. Smoke will settle down the Chilnualna
drainage to Wawona at night and early morning. Several one hour PM2.5 readings
at Wawona yesterday morning were greater than 35 µg/m3.
Air
Quality Outlook: High pressure
over the area continues to cause poor dispersion conditions today.A strong temperature
inversion is trapping campfire smoke in Yosemite Valley overnight and the
temperature inversion will break down by noon. An upper-level low will provide
for better dispersion conditions on Sunday and very good dispersion on Monday
and Tuesday.
Location
|
Yesterday
9/9/16 Observed* |
Today
9/10/16 Forecasted |
Tomorrow
9/11/16 Forecasted |
Details for avoiding smoke during
the worst hours of the day
|
Yosemite Valley
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
People who are sensitive to smoke should reduce prolonged or
heavy outdoor exercise, especially in the morning.
|
El Portal
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
Wawona
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
People who are sensitive to smoke should reduce prolonged or
heavy outdoor exercise, especially in the morning.
|
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
health professional. *The
Air Quality Index (AQI) values used to create the following table are 24-hr
averages (midnight-midnight local time). Locations listed in the above table can
experience periods of poorer air quality than the24-hr average.
|
||||
24 hr 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:
Air Monitor
Data http://www.wildlandfiresmoke.net/monitoring/
California Smoke
Blog http://www.californiasmokeinfo.blogspot.com/
Air
Districts http://www.arb.ca.gov/capcoa/roster.htm
AirNow (AQI
forecasts and nowcasts) https://www.airnow.gov/
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