Yosemite National Park
Prepared: Tuesday, 9/13/16
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 in
Mariposa County. It is a lightning-caused fire that is being monitored and
managed for resource and wildlife benefit. Managing fires that are started by
lightning reduces the risk of high intensity fires and benefits the ecosystem. An
aerial reconnaissance of the Lakes Fire was conducted on 9/10/16. The size is
estimated to be approximately 755 acres.
Smoke
Synopsis: A prescribed burn is being conducted at Ahwahnee Meadow with
ignitions on 9/12/16 and 9/13/16 for approximately 62 acres. Burn down will
take 2 to 4 days during which time some smoke could be noticed at Ahwahnee
Meadow. A temperature inversion will trap smoke produced overnight in Yosemite
Valley, including campfire smoke. The temperature inversion will break down by noon. Smoke from
the Lakes Fire will be transported to the east this afternoon. Overnight smoke settled down the Chilnualna
drainage to Wawona through the early morning on Monday and several one hour
PM2.5 readings at Wawona were greater than 35 µg/m3 yesterday morning. This morning the PM2.5 levels have been much
lower due to good dispersion conditions.
Air
Quality Outlook: An upper-level
trough over the area will cause good dispersion conditions today. High pressure
will build behind the upper-level trough as it exits the area tomorrow and will
cause fair dispersion conditions Wednesday and Thursday.
Location
|
Yesterday
9/12/16 Observed* |
Today
9/13/16 Forecasted |
Tomorrow
9/14/16 Forecasted |
Details for avoiding smoke during
the worst hours of the day
|
Yosemite Valley
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or
heavy outdoor exertion in the morning today and avoid the area around Ahwahnee
Meadow during prescribed fire ignitions Tuesday morning.
|
El Portal
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
Wawona
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or
heavy outdoor exertion in the morning on Wednesday and Thursday.
|
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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