Sunday, September 21, 2014 WIldfire Air Quality Summary for the Klamath Region

Air Quality Summary                                                                     

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Prepared by: Ryan Bauer (USDA-FS)

Yesterday Smoke lingered in the lower Klamath and Trinity River drainages for much of the day. Orleans, Hoopa, Willow Creek, and Weitchpec all had “Moderate” air quality that improved gradually through the day. All other monitors showed good air quality. Transport winds remained southerly to southeasterly all day and into the evening so smoke was pushed west of the fires and then north into Oregon. No significant smoke impacts were seen in Oregon or in the upper Klamath River drainage.   Today Early this morning smoke settled into the Scott and Quartz Valley areas and the lower Salmon River drainage. Inversions should break by late morning allowing smoke in these areas to clean out by mid-day. Good instability should allow plenty of lift for smoke to disperse well during the day. Westerly winds are forecast over the region, which will transport smoke east over the Scott and Shasta valleys. By late afternoon or evening some smoke impacts are possible in Yreka, Ft Jones, Etna, Callahan, Weed, and Mt Shasta. Smoke concentration is not expected to exceed the moderate range but Quartz and Scott Valleys could see slightly higher concentrations because of their proximity to the fires. Smoke from the Klamath wildfires is not expected to significantly impact southern Oregon’s air quality today. Tomorrow Southwesterly winds are predicted to return tomorrow.  This will bring elevated smoke concentrations to the Scott Valley, Quartz Valley, and the Scott River and Upper Klamath River drainages tomorrow. Increased atmospheric instability should keep most of the smoke aloft during the heat of the day so, impacts are likely to be highest in the late afternoon and evening hours. Moderate impacts are possible in the Medford and Ashland, OR area late in the day.
Site	September 20 Yesterday’s AQI	September 21 Today’s AQI	September 22 Predicted AQI	Likely Time of Highest Impacts Today
Yreka	Good	Moderate	Moderate	Afternoon/Early Evening
Fort Jones	Good	Moderate	Moderate	Afternoon/Early Evening
Etna	Good	Moderate	Moderate	Evening
Seiad Valley	Moderate	Good	Moderate	Early Afternoon
Happy Camp	Good	Good	Good	Early Afternoon
Somes Bar	No Data	Good	Good	Late Morning
Orleans	Moderate	Good	Good	Late Morning
Wietchpec	Moderate	Good	Good	Afternoon
Hoopa	Moderate	Good	Good	Late Afternoon/Evening
Willow Creek	Moderate	Good	Good	Evening
Weed	Good	Moderate	Good	Evening
Sawyer's Bar	Good	Moderate	Good	Late Morning
PLEASE NOTE: The air quality outlook is based on data from automated instruments that have not been subjected to a quality assurance review. AQI’s estimated for sites with air monitors.