LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Wildland fires burning in Colusa and Mendocino counties are sending smoke into Lake County's air basin, resulting in the Lake County Air Quality Management District issuing an air quality alert for Thursday.
By Wednesday night the 16 Complex in Colusa County had reached 3,500 acres, while the North Pass Fires in northern Mendocino County was 41,983 acres, according to Cal Fire. The fires have resulted in smoke, haze and degraded air quality for Lake County.
The Lake County Air Quality Management District reported that weather forecasts indicate favorable west winds will push smoke away from the Lake County air basin on Thursday afternoon. Overnight settling of smoke is likely and could linger into the morning hours.
Air quality conditions significantly improved through most of the county from early morning to late afternoon on Wednesday, due primarily to better meteorological conditions, Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart reported.
Areas close to the fires experienced significantly degraded air quality on Wednesday, but most areas of Lake County experienced good to moderate air quality, according to Gearhart. Levels of ozone and particulate were elevated, but did not exceed state health-based air quality standards.
Gearhart said air quality on Thursday is expected to be in the “moderate” to “unhealthy” range. The greatest concern exists for the Northshore communities, Clearlake and the southeastern portions of Lake County, although all areas of the county may be impacted.
Smoke impacts are forecast to be most significant from the early morning hours through mid-day Thursday, Gearhart said. At times on Thursday, areas of the county could experience “unhealthy” to “hazardous” air quality levels as smoke settles into the basin.
Smoky conditions can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and air passages. These conditions can be hazardous for sensitive individual including young children, the elderly, and individuals with heart conditions, and those with chronic lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.
The moderate to unhealthy air quality alert results from fine particulate in the smoke and ground level ozone, generated by combustion products in the smoke combined with the high temperatures, significant sunlight, and humidity.
Other chemical reactions reduce visibility by forming secondary particulates. Poor air quality, haze and particulate from the ongoing wildfires is expected to continue throughout Lake County until the fires are out.