Air quality alerts issued as smoke moves across Central California

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- With smoke floating down from fires in Northern California and Oregon, air quality agencies are advising people to take caution, especially those with respiratory issues.

However, that smoke can cause issues for all of us.

Smoke hugged the ground around roadways and parks around Merced Wednesday morning.

That smoke brings along tiny particles that can be dangerous to your health.

"They're so small, so microscopic that your body's natural defenses don't catch it," said Heather Heinks, Valley Air District. "You breathe it in, you inhale, and you take that fine particle, this foreign matter, into your body through your lungs, and it goes into your bloodstream, and it leads to a whole host of respiratory conditions."

Those particles can trigger asthma attacks, aggravate chronic bronchitis, and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District released an air quality alert Wednesday afternoon in response to the smoke.

"In the central region, that smoke plume continued moving down the valley, and we already saw it hit level four," said Heinks. "And so that's really the alert that we need to explain to the public that potential is there for poor air quality in the immediate future."

Those levels refer to the Real-time Outdoor Activity Risk Guidelines at level 2. People with respiratory issues should consider reducing their time spent outside. As conditions reach level 4, everyone is advised to limit their time outdoors.

Merced Union High School District said they refer to several different resources, including the Valley Air District, to monitor air quality and take action to protect the students and staff.

The district provided Action News with a statement that read in part:

"Currently, our AQI reading places us in a yellow zone. In response, we are taking immediate action by closely monitoring sensitive students and preparing for potential increases in air quality issues. We have outlined specific protocols for each zone and will communicate and prepare for the possibility of suspending activity if we enter the red zone."

The heat of the day lifts the smoke, but as temperatures drop overnight, it comes back to ground level. That means you could feel the impacts worse on Thursday morning, and we could continue to feel those effects through Friday morning.

"That smoke plume will settle, and chances are if it's still suspended above us tonight, you'll wake up in the morning to a strong sense of smoke smell and wildfire smoke," said Heinks. "So while it's moderate right now, it very much stands to not be moderate in the coming hours and days."

If you need to get out of the smoke, the Valley Air District has clean air centers, similar to cooling centers, set up throughout Central California.

For a list of locations, click here.

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