Wildfire Smoke Prompts Spare The Air Alert Through Wednesday
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air Alert and Smoke Advisory for Tuesday and Wednesday because of the ongoing wildfires burning in the North Bay.
As of 10:00 a.m., the AirNow map by the Environmental Protection Agency showed unhealthy air quality in the fire zone, the Vallejo area and in the eastern half of San Francisco.
Air district officials recommend that Bay Area residents, particularly those in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties where the fires are burning, stay in buildings like libraries or shopping malls that have filtered air if they are not able to temporarily move out of the area.
Several wildfires are continuing to burn in the counties, with the three largest ones having burned more than 140,000 acres since Oct. 8.
People in the fire-impacted counties are advised to use a N95 mask that filters particulate pollution, according to the air district.
Children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions should take extra caution because of the smoke.
Air district officials are asking residents to avoid activities that create additional air pollution in the region, such as wood burning, lawn mowing, leaf-blowing, barbecuing or making any unnecessary trips by car.
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