Date

sábado, septiembre 05, 2020

Spare the Air Status

While smoke will continue to be a factor for Bay Area air quality, smog will be the primary air pollutant through the rest of the Labor Day weekend. Light winds combined with triple-digit inland temperatures and vehicle exhaust are expected to cause unhealthy smog, or ozone, accumulation in the Bay Area. Smoke from the Woodward Fire in Marin County may also produce isolated pockets of unhealthy air quality in southern Marin County, San Francisco, portions of the East Bay and potentially Vallejo.

“Though wildfire smoke has subsided significantly and air quality has improved over the past few days, high temperatures and tailpipe exhaust are expected to cause unhealthy smog this holiday weekend,” said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Air District. “Under these conditions, Bay Area residents should continue to take precautions to protect their health, such as reducing their driving and avoiding smoke exposure when the smell of smoke is present.”

Spare the Air Alerts are issued when ozone or particulate matter pollution is forecast to reach unhealthy levels. If the smell of smoke is present or visible, it is important that Bay Area residents protect their health by avoiding exposure. If possible, stay inside with windows and doors closed until smoke levels subside. If temperatures are too hot indoors, visit an air-cooling center or other building that provides filtered air. It is also recommended that Bay Area residents set air conditioning units and car vent systems to re-circulate to prevent outside air from moving inside.

Ozone, or smog, can cause throat irritation, congestion, chest pain, trigger asthma, inflame the lining of the lungs and worsen bronchitis and emphysema. Long-term exposure to ozone can reduce lung function. Ozone pollution is particularly harmful for young children, seniors and those with respiratory and heart conditions. When a Spare the Air Alert is issued, outdoor exercise should be done only in the early morning hours when ozone concentrations are lower.

Smoke can irritate the eyes and airways, causing coughing, a dry scratchy throat and irritated sinuses. Elevated particulate matter in the air can trigger wheezing in those who suffer from asthma, emphysema or COPD. Elderly persons, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure.

To find out when a Spare the Air Alert is in effect, residents can sign up for text alerts by texting the word “START” to 817-57, register for email AirAlerts at www.sparetheair.org, call 1(800) HELP-AIR, download the Spare the Air App or connect with Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.

Check the Air District's Current Air Quality page for real-time air quality readings.

View press release.

View Wildfire Safety web page.

Last Updated: 05/09/2020