Bad air quality keeps Fresno Unified elementary students indoors

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The bad air quality is keeping students inside today. Fresno Unified confirmed with Action News that all outdoor activities have been canceled for elementary school students in the district.

However, administrators say the air quality will not impact middle and high school students -- and all activities and athletic events will go on as scheduled tonight.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District released the following statement to Action News:

Abnormal weather conditions create dangerously high levels of air pollution

Extreme weather conditions have led to abnormally high pollution conditions rarely seen in the Valley this time of year. "Because of abnormal weather conditions, we are experiencing unusually high pollution levels that are dangerous to public health. We are asking the public to refrain from burning and to also reduce driving," said Seyed Sadredin, the Air District's executive director and air pollution control officer. "These collective efforts to reduce pollution will help protect your health and the health of your loved ones."

Despite historically low emissions Valley-wide, higher moisture levels brought by recent rain followed by high temperatures tripled the level of fine particulates (PM2.5) in the Valley mid-week. The resulting unusually strong inversion layer is keeping temperatures high and trapping fine particulates in the air basin, resulting in unhealthy air quality throughout the Valley. While abnormal weather conditions are the primary cause for the high pollution, any added pollution will make the current conditions even worse. The District urges residents to refrain from wood burning activities and reduce driving when possible.

Fine-particulate pollution is extremely harmful to health and can cause respiratory and lung disease, heart attacks and even stroke. Air quality forecasters expect the current pattern to linger into the foreseeable future.

Local air officials have issued the season's first No Burning residential wood-burning declaration. The declaration affects Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the Valley portion of Kern counties for Friday, November 7. In these counties, any residential wood burning is prohibited. This declaration runs to midnight Friday.

San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties are declared "No Burning Unless Registered."