I thought I would start a new thread on this one. The Oak Fire started Friday and has already burned 12,000 acres and is 0% contained. I fear this is going to be a big one. The air quality around there is already in the toilet.
The latest smoke forecast/outlook for the Oak Fire can be found here https://californiasmokeinfo.blogspot.com/
Thanks for starting a new thread on this one, Harry!
I’m also watching the smoke transport from the Oak Fire today. So far, it is not making it to San Francisco Bay Area, but I’m keeping my eye on the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map and the current satellite imagery.
Checkout this page for all GOES-West imagery for the Pacific Southwest: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector.php?sat=G17§or=psw
Thanks, Kari. Since I’m in the bay area, I am keeping a close watch on it too. So far, the skies are clear but, I do see a little bit of smoke in the distance.
The latest advisory from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District:
Monday, July 25, 2022
The Air District is extending an air quality advisory for wildfire smoke through Wednesday, July 27. Winds are forecast to transport smoke from the Oak Fire in Mariposa County into the Bay Area through Wednesday; however, the smoke is expected to remain aloft. Smoky, hazy skies may be visible across the Bay Area and the smell of smoke is possible at higher elevations. Air quality is forecast to be in the good to moderate range on the air quality index and pollutant levels are not expected to exceed the national 24-hour health standard. A Spare the Air Alert is not in effect.
https://www.baaqmd.gov/news-and-events/page-resources/2022-news/072522-aq-advisory
Also, here is the link to my air quality web page https://ucweather.org/wxaqi.php
Good point, Harry. I’ve noticed some distant haze, too, but still no increase on my PurpleAir sensor.
Today, the AirNow Smoke and Fire Map shows that the high-level winds are pushing this smoke more northwestward and closer to the Bay Area. A few folks have asked why we’re not seeing this on our PurpleAir sensors throughout the Bay Area.
This high-level smoke will usually not be detected on our PurpleAir sensors that are placed near the surface, because they are placed at low levels and monitoring particulates in the air we breathe. This is a neat indication of the layers of the atmosphere and how elevated smoke can transport sometimes hundreds of miles before falling back to the surface again.