Smoke Impact Summary_update_ Potential Areas affected by King Wildfire smoke

Thursday, September 18th - Mobile Smoke Monitoring Data is available from AirNow**

Real-time emergency smoke monitoring data is available on a new AirNow website specifically for wildfire smoke.  **The site is still under development, not all deployed monitors' data shows. Work continues to be done to upgrade it. (See the smoke summaries posted on this blog for results from all the relevant sites).

Keep in mind that the AirNow method for calculating AQI colors is based on unvalidated hourly data.  The reported colors are based on a custom mathematical algorithm (called NowCast) that relates those hourly values to the 24 hour AQI scale. This algorithm can produce different results (AQI colors) than those reported in the more detailed smoke impact summaries in the smoke reports, which simply report 3 and 24 hr averages against AQI colors based on breakpoints set forth in the Wildfire Smoke, A Guide for Public Health Officials, a document published by California Air Resources Board in 2012.

Thursday, September 18, 2014 Smoke Impact Summary for the Klamath Wildfires

Today's Full Smoke Impact Summary report is available here.

Thursday, September 18th, 2014 Wildfire Air Quality Summary for the King Fire

The King fire grew over 50,000 acres yesterday and is now at 70,944 acres total.  It more than tripled in size yesterday, as fire established itself in very dry fuels, under hot dry SW winds that were aligned with the steep Rubicon drainage topography.  The fire ran directly up that canyon nearly 14 miles toward Lake Tahoe, and the smoke plume traveled hundreds of miles.

Charts of the monitoring data as of this morning can be downloaded with this link, and the map of the currently tracked monitoring sites is below:

Today, we are still under a lighter S flow today than yesterday (only 10,000 acres of growth projected), but tonight winds will switch to NE  and blow smoke back to the West or SW, where it is likely to cause substantial impacts to foothill communities. Some of these impacts will be in areas previously not impacted by the fire due to the strong SW flow.  Rain might mitigate some of these impacts, if it shows up.  Below is a summary of the forecast from the National Weather Service, Reno office.

Thursday, September 18th, 2014 Wildfire Air Quality Summary for the Klamath Region

Air Quality Summary                                                              

Thursday, September 18, 2014

 Prepared by: Dan Chan (GA-GFC) and Ryan Bauer (USDA-FS)

Yesterday Fort Jones had “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” and Etna had “Moderate” levels of smoke yesterday.  All other monitors in the area measured “Good” air quality.  Cloudy condition with south winds brought elevated smoke concentration to Scott Valley yesterday.  Rain up to 0.10inch was measured around the fire. The monitor in Weed resumed function and measured readings in the Moderate range during the afternoon, which improved to the good range by evening.      Today Incident Meteorologist forecasts an 80% chance of rain at the fire.   Increased moisture will reduce fire behavior and smoke production from the fires, and rain will help scour some of the smoke from the air. Weather models showed southerly wind today and then turned southwesterly in late afternoon.  So, communities in the north of the fire in the Upper Klamath River Valley and Scott Valley are likely to experience elevated smoke concentration.  By evening, smoke is likely to return to the upper Shasta Valley and Scott Valley, in addition to Upper Klamath River valley. Air quality in Weed should continue to improve as aggressive mop-up continues although blowing ash and dust may still be present. Tomorrow Northeasterly winds are expected tomorrow.  This will increase the potential of smoke impacts to communities along the lower Klamath River especially after night fall when smoke settles in the drainages.
Site	September 17 Yesterday’s AQI	September 18 Today’s AQI	September 19 Predicted AQI	Likely Time of Highest Impacts Today
Yreka	Good	Good	Good	Afternoon/Early Evening
Fort Jones	USG	Moderate	Good	Afternoon/Early Evening
Etna	Moderate	Good	Good	Evening
Seiad Valley	Good	Moderate	Moderate	Early Afternoon
Happy Camp	Good	Moderate	Moderate	Early Afternoon
Somes Bar*	NA	Good	Moderate	Afternoon
Orleans*	NA	Good	Moderate	Afternoon
Wietchpec*	NA	Good	Good	Afternoon
Hoopa	Good	Good	Good	Late Afternoon/Evening
Willow Creek*	NA	Good	Good	Evening
Weed*	NA	Good	Good	Evening
Sawyer's Bar	Good	Good	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.