Corral Complex, Butler Fire, and Salmon River Complex Air Quality Report for 8/21/13



Butler Fire, Salmon River Complex, and Corral Complex-Air Quality Report          Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Prepared by: Mark Fitch and Ryan Bauer

Yesterday, August 20, 2013

Smoke production from the Corral Complex  and Butler Fire continues as each grew 3,123 and 1,057 acres, respectively. Smoke from the Salmon River Complex remained low as the last few interior islands continue to burn. Smoke impacts from the fires remained low. Willow Creek, Somes Bar, Hoopa, and Crescent City all experienced air quality in the moderate range late in the day, except Crescent City, where impacts occurred during the morning hours. Orleans began experiencing air quality in the unhealthy for sensitive groups range late last night, continuing into this morning due to an inversion. Sawyers Bar and Forks of Salmon experienced unhealthy air quality for a short time in the afternoon, but generally saw air quality in the good range for most of the day.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

With the low moving on shore, the winds shift from east to south or southeast, before becoming more westerly early Thursday.  Smoke from Oregon fires continues to drift south, with impacts from Crescent City to southern Humboldt County.  Smoke impacts to Somes Bar and Orleans should see some improvement in the late morning when smoke will start to lift, before smoke rolls back in during the afternoon, likely reaching the unhealthy for sensitive groups for a few hours. These impacts should remain north of Weitchpec, Hoopa, and Willow Creek where air quality should not exceed the moderate range. By mid-afternoon, as the winds switch to a more southerly flow smoke will affect the Happy Camp area. By late afternoon to evening the Trinity River drainage may be affected with light smoke as well. 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

As the low moves towards the northeast, a change to southwest to west transport winds will occur.  Air quality in Happy camp will be in the good to moderate range. The Butler fire will affect Somes Bar and Orleans as smoke drains out of the Salmon River towards the Klamath River. AQI levels in Sawyers Bar may get into the unhealthy range for a few hours, with most of the day in the unhealthy for sensitive groups range. Etna and Ft. Jones will experience light haze most of the day, with just a few hours in the moderate range in the early morning before clearing. The air quality in Willow Creek will be in the good range, with light haze in the afternoon from the Corral Complex. Hoopa and Weitchpec will remain in the good AQI range most of the day, getting in the moderate range during the night.  The communities near Weaverville will have good air quality with light haze at times.

Long-range outlook

The cut off low will begin to move onshore over northern California late Wednesday into early Thursday. By Friday afternoon, new low-pressure system starts to build, heading towards the north coast.  As the system approaches the winds will be out of the west, turning southwest by Saturday or early Sunday. This system will be drier with higher wind speeds likely to increase fire activity in the region.

Site	24-hour Average PM2.5 (µg/m3)	3-hour Max PM2.5 (μg/mᵌ)	Level of Health Concern	Meaning	Actions to Protect Yourself	Forecast for Wednesday Aug. 21, 2013
Gasquet Yreka Ft. Jones Happy Camp Weitchpec	10 9 10 10	20 20 27 25	Good	Air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no health risk	None	Gasquet Yreka Ft. Jones Etna Weaverville
Crescent City Hoopa Somes Bar Willow Creek	20 24 18 24	42 45 54 32	Moderate	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.	Crescent City Willow Creek Hoopa Happy Camp Weitchpec
Orleans	38	83	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 older adults should limit prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.	Orleans Somes Bar
Sawyers Bar	46	195	Unhealthy	Everyone may begin to experience more serious health effects.	People with heart or lung disease, children and older adults should avoid all physical outdoor activity.  Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.	Sawyers Bar Forks of Salmon