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Lake County air quality ranging from unhealthy to hazardous
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The growing Mendocino Complex continued to pump thick smoke into the air in Lake County on Sunday, resulting in another air quality alert from Lake County Air Quality Management District warning of seriously degraded conditions.
Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said the air alert was for “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” conditions, resulting from the heavy smoke conditions Lake County is experiencing and the forecast for extended smoke impacts, and impacts from other air pollutants in the smoke lingering in Lake County until conditions change.
Gearhart said current particulate levels are in the range from “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” throughout Lake County with localized areas reaching “hazardous” levels.
The "unhealthy" levels of smoke are expected to continue through Monday. All areas may experience “very unhealthy” air quality, and individuals should take precautions, Gearhart said.
He said the smoke is expected to remain in Lake County through Monday, though air quality could improve if the winds shift.
Conditions can change quickly. Smoky conditions can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and air passages. These conditions can be hazardous for sensitive individual including children, the elderly, individuals with heart conditions, and those with chronic lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions.
Individuals with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other lung or heart diseases should carefully adhere to their medical treatment plans and maintain at least a five-day supply of prescribed medications. They should limit outdoor activity and unnecessary physical exertion while smoke is present. Air conditioning that recirculates indoor air should be used, when available. Drinking plenty of water to avoid drying of the airways is recommended, unless restricted for medical reasons.
If you cannot leave the smoky area, good ways to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke include staying indoors and reducing physical activity.
Wearing an air purifying respirator can also help protect your lungs from wildfire smoke. Air purifying respirators, such as N-95 or P100 filtering face pieces, may be effective in reducing some of the harmful particulate matter, but they also increase the work of breathing, can lead to physiologic stress, and are not recommended as a general protective measure.
Dust masks are not protective against the ultra fine particulate, which is the pollutant most detrimental to health caused by wildfire smoke.
With air quality forecast to be in the “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” range, people are recommended to use caution, avoid strenuous activity, avoid outdoor activities, and reduce other sources of air pollution (such as smoking, use of aerosol products, frying or broiling meats, burning candles, vacuuming, etc.) and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
Localized areas of very unhealthy or hazardous air quality, regional haze, and particulate from these fires can be expected until the regional fires are fully contained and the weather pattern shifts to clear the smoke. Take appropriate measures until the smoke clears.