- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Air conditions deteriorate due to continued impact of fires; officials say winds helping clear smoke
Conditions over the last few days have seen little visibility across the lake and smoke hanging against Lake County’s hillsides.
The district released a Thursday morning alert for unhealthy to hazardous air quality in many areas of Lake County due to ultra fine particulates and other air pollutants contained in the smoke combined with the high temperatures and humidity.
Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said the smoke and haze visible across Lake County was transport smoke coming from fires including the Orleans Complex, Eclipse Complex, Salmon August Complex, Ruth Complex Umpqua North Complex, Chetco Bar, Miller Complex, High Cascade Complex and Falcon Complex.
He said satellite imagery showed extreme levels of smoke generation drifting into Northern California and Lake County.
Gearhart said the smoke can be expected to continue impacting Lake County with potential for unhealthy levels through the end of the week.
Health officials said that the conditions warrant taking special care to protect young children, the elderly, individuals with heart conditions, and those with chronic lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.
The “unhealthy” air quality range also led to a recommendation that all county residents use caution and avoid strenuous activity outdoors, when possible, until the smoke clears.
Later on Thursday, Gearhart issued a followup report that anticipated that strong west winds would help to move the smoke out of the basin.
He said air quality conditions had started to return to the “good to moderate” range. However, he warned that some areas in the county may still be unhealthy and take longer for the smoke to clear out. Residents should continue to use caution until the smoke has cleared from their area.
Gearhart said that, with increasing temperatures expected this weekend, there may be a return of the smoke as the winds are forecast to come from the northeast.
He urged people to take precautions to minimize their exposure and risk if the air starts to look hazy with smoke again.
One of the fires that’s the source of the smoke in Lake County is the Chetco Bar fire, burning in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness near the Southern Oregon city of Brookings, which is in the pre-evacuation stage, officials reported.
On Thursday, officials reported that the lightning-caused fire – which began July 12 – had burned 102,333 acres, and had nearly 1,400 firefighters assigned to it, including a number of Cal Fire personnel stationed in Middletown.
The Chetco Bar fire isn’t expected to be contained until Oct. 15, with a number of the other large fires also project to be brought under control in the fall, fire officials said.
This week, NASA satellite images appeared to indicate that smoke coming into Northern California may also be originating from the many fires burning in Idaho and Montana.
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