Wildfires bring poor air quality to Modesto. When will conditions improve?
Health cautions remain in effect for Stanislaus County and surrounding areas as a result of wildfires in the northern parts of the state.
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District issued its advisory Aug. 16, to remain in effect for “San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Kern counties until the fires are extinguished or until smoke is no longer affecting the Valley.”
District representative Anthony Presto said the smoke in the San Joaquin Valley is coming primarily from the Dixie and Caldor fires in the northern parts of California, as well as from across the Oregon border.
Wildfires have been spreading across the state in recent weeks, with evacuations triggered in Lake County and potential safety blackouts from PG&E in the coming days.
According to the National Weather Service, Modesto will experience a “widespread haze” through at least Friday, with sunny and mostly clear conditions forecast for Saturday and into the coming week. As of Thursday, air quality in the city is rated as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
Presto said conditions are not expected to improve dramatically until the fires are extinguished, but the Valley could be granted momentary relief in the first half of next week. It’s still too early “to make an accurate forecast” that far ahead, Presto added, but an expected wind shift could divert some of the ash and leave only residual smoke in the San Joaquin Valley.
“Winds are expected to shift, possibly on Saturday, which could blow smoke in another direction,” he said.
On the plus side, relief from the heat will continue the next few days, according to the weather service. After an expected high of near 91 Friday, the highs Saturday through Monday are forecast to be 88, 87 and 89, respectively.
The district encourages residents who are impacted by smoke and dust to stay indoors and reduce their exposure to particulate matter emissions. According to the district, these emissions can “trigger asthma attacks, aggravate chronic bronchitis and increase the risk of heart attack.”
In addition to recommending individuals stay inside when exposed to smoke, the air pollution district also warns that “common cloth and paper masks being used as protection from COVID-19 may not be sufficient protection from wildfire smoke inhalation.”
‘This story was produced with financial support from the Stanislaus Community Foundation, along with the GroundTruth Project’s Report for America initiative. The Modesto Bee maintains full editorial control of this work.
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This story was originally published August 19, 2021 at 4:29 PM.
