‘Very unhealthy’ air quality forecast for Sacramento region as Mosquito Fire burns
As the Mosquito Fire continues to burn in the Tahoe National Forest near Foresthill, the capital region’s air quality has worsened.
And it will only continue to degrade, according to forecasters.
Air pollution was recorded at “hazardous” levels above AQI 200 as of 9 a.m. in parts of Placer, El Dorado and Sacramento counties, including Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Orangevale, El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park, according to an online air quality map from the Environmental Protection Agency. Pollution reached “very unhealthy” levels near Auburn, Newcastle and Penryn, and “unhealthy” levels near Roseville, Carmichael, Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova.
By midnight, smoke being pushed into the foothill is forecast to reverse and travel toward the Sacramento area, the National Weather Service said. By early Friday morning, smoke from the fire might be seen and smelled in Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Roseville, Rocklin and Folsom.
“The closer to the fire you are, the worse the smoke is going to be,” said meteorologist Sierra Littlefield with the National Weather Service.
The air quality throughout Placer County is also poorer for some residents near the blaze. As of Thursday morning, Auburn’s ozone forecast is 44 and the Air Quality Index for particulate matter is 268.
AirNow reports unhealthy air quality in both Roseville, Rocklin and Citrus Heights areas. The Air Quality index in both areas for PM2.5 is 157.
Folsom’s air quality moved into the hazardous level by 10 a.m., while the air in Fair Oaks is in the “good” category.
Air quality remained in the “moderate” level within Sacramento city limits, according to the map.
Heavy smoke was also expected to blow east toward Lake Tahoe, according to the National Weather Service.
“Smoke from the Mosquito Fire, burning 15 miles east of Auburn, will continue to impact some parts of the Sacramento region, especially parts of Placer County,” Spare the Air wrote on its website. “Air quality can change quickly at different times during the day due to wind shifts and vertical mixing.”
Downtown Sacramento could also experience some smokiness too, Littlefield said, especially by Friday evening.
As of Thursday morning, AirNow reports moderate air quality in the Sacramento area. The AQI for PM2.5 is 57.
This story was originally published September 8, 2022 at 9:53 AM with the headline "‘Very unhealthy’ air quality forecast for Sacramento region as Mosquito Fire burns."