Yosemite National Park
Prepared: 9/27/16
Prepared by: Jim McNitt, Air Resource Specialist
Overview:
The Lakes Fire is burning in the Chilnualna Lakes area of Yosemite National Park, 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. The
size is estimated to be approximately 587 acres based on ground reconnaissance
completed on 9/17/16.
Smoke
Synopsis: A nighttime temperature inversion trapped smoke from campfires in Yosemite Valley overnight. Smoke from the Lakes Fire settled down the Chilnualna drainage to Wawona overnight and during the early morning today. Several hourly PM2.5 readings at Wawona were
greater than 35 µg/m3 this morning due to the cumulative effect of wildfires in and outside of the park. Smoke from the Lakes Fire will be transported
to the east this afternoon with light transport winds. Smoke will settle in the
drainage again overnight under a strong nighttime surface temperature inversion. Smoke from the Lakes Fire will be transported to the northeast tomorrow afternoon with light transport winds.
Air
Quality Outlook: The temperature inversion in Yosemite Valley broke down by 10 AM today. Smoke dispersion conditions are poor today and will remain poor tomorrow. An approaching upper-level
trough will improve dispersion conditions to fair on Thursday. A strong cold front will
pass through Yosemite late Friday night. Expect good vertical mixing and horizontal transport of
smoke Friday and Saturday. A weak upper-level trough is expected to pass
through on Sunday. Dispersion conditions will remain good Friday through Monday.
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Location
|
Yesterday
9/26/16 Observation* |
Today
9/27/16 Forecast |
Tomorrow
9/28/16 Forecast |
Details for avoiding smoke during
the worst hours of the day
|
|
Yosemite Valley
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Campfire smoke will be trapped under a surface inversion. The
highest hourly readings will be between 10 PM and 6 AM.
|
|
El Portal
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
|
|
Wawona
|
Good
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Moderate
|
Moderate
|
People with heart or lung disease, children and older adults
should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion during the morning through Thursday.
The highest hourly readings will be between 4 AM and noon.
|
|
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.
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||||
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24 hr AQI Category
(PM2.5 µg/m3) |
Potential Health Impacts
|
Actions to Protect Yourself
|
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Good
(0-12)
|
Little or
no health risk
|
None
|
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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.
|
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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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