American Fire Air Quality update for August 23

American Wildfire Air Quality Summary Report

Prepared by Andrea Holland USDA Forest Service

Friday, August 23, 2013

Early yesterday morning smoke from the American fire settled into Foresthill raising concentrations to the unhealthy air quality range through late morning.  After that dispersion winds cleared the air to good air quality levels.  The Reno area was not as fortunate as smoke from the Rim fire drifted into this area throughout most of the day.  Daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from yesterday, August 22 are shown below with the corresponding level of health concern and actions to protect yourself.

Site	24-hr Average PM2.5 (µg/m3)	3-hour AvgMax PM2.5 (µg/m3)	Level of Health Concern	Meaning	Actions to Protect Yourself
Sacramento Lincoln Grass Valley Roseville Quincy Colfax	4 10 8 8 31 13	5 12 15 15 31 34	Good	Air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk	None
Portola Auburn Truckee Loyalton	23 14 35 31	52 54 61 69	Moderate	Air quality is acceptable for most. There may be a moderate health concern for a very small very sensitive people.	Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
			Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	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 adults should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.  Everyone one else, should limit prolonged or heavy exertion
Foresthill	72	254	Unhealthy	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	Triggers a health alert, meaning 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	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.

Air Quality Forecast:   Low humidity combined with terrain driven winds will once again align with the topography on the American fire today creating a high risk of increased fire activity and smoke.  During today, transport winds from the south will carry smoke from the American fire north and may lead to moderate air quality levels in Portola, Loyalton and Quincy.  

Smoke from the Rim fire will continue to pour into the Tahoe Basin and Reno areas impacting air quality there.  The AIRNow website (http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city&cityid=121) indicates that smoke concentrations in the Reno area will approach unhealthy for sensitive groups.  Modeling indicates that tonight’s diurnal winds will follow last night’s pattern with smoke from the American fire settling into the Colfax, Auburn and Foresthill area with the latter area seeing greater concentrations approaching unhealthy air quality levels between early to mid-morning.  Smoke from the Rim fire will pool into the Reno area tonight and early tomorrow morning with smoke concentrations approaching unhealthy air quality levels.

For more information visit www.northcasmoke.blogspot.com

For daily updates on air quality conditions in Placer County visit www.placer.ca.gov/apcd