The county’s air has improved and remained in the good classification this week. The air quality is expected to be in the good range for the weekend, with slight possibility of smoke intrusions, Reynolds reported.
No exceed of a health-based State or Federal Air Quality Standard is expected through Sunday, he said. Using the Federal Air Quality Index (AQI) for particulate matter, Lake County’s air quality is expected to be in the good to moderate range. The AQI for particulate is expected to remain well below 101 where an unhealthy alert is given.
Recent smoke intrusions into the Lake County Air Basin during last week resulted primarily from the Yolla Bolly complex and remainder of the Lime complex, Reynolds reported. Some uncontained wildfires continue to burn in Northern California resulting in occasional smoke, haze and degraded air quality.
Though progress has been made on wildfires remaining on federal land, much of the Lime and Yolla Bolly complexes are in rugged and remote areas and are unlikely to be extinguished soon. The Soda Butte Complex wildfires are contained. Yolla Bolly is only 40 percent contained. No uncontained fires remain in Lake County.
Reynolds said winds are expected to be southwest to northwest and should continue through Sunday. This should keep most smoke from these ongoing wildfires to the north and east of the Lake County Air Basin. There is a slight chance of northerly winds developing over the weekend.
Residual smoke can be expected to remain throughout all areas of Northern California, including Lake County, though at a reduced level, until all the numerous lightning caused wildfires are out.
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