By Mary O’KEEFE

As every Californian knows, fire season is year round. Though years ago the official “fire season” started in October after dry summer conditions and when Santa Ana winds began to blow that has not been the case for quite some time. In January of this year we had a major wind event that fueled the Eaton and Palisades fires. Now, in July/August, there are three major fires burning in the state: the Gold Fire in the San Bernardino National Forest (as of Wednesday it had burned 1,009.3 acres and was 5% contained), the Rosa Fire near the Santa Rosa Mountains in Riverside County (as of Wednesday it had burned 1,658.2 acres and was 18% contained) and the Gifford Fire in the Los Padres National Forest (as of Wednesday it had burned 83,932.5 acres and was 9% contained). 

Over the last few months residents of LA County have been pretty lucky weather-wise as many days saw temperatures below normal. We had this lovely, though a little gloomy, marine layer that kept things a bit cooler. Our nights, at times, were nearly sweater weather … but that was then and this is now.

Our temperatures are rising and it looks like they will continue. Now, it’s not like Arizona where temperatures rise and then just stay hot for days; we do have a few cool days before the heat begins again. But in the long run this heat will dry out the vegetation around us and leave us even more vulnerable to wildfires. In the coming weeks CVW will be looking at fire and how people can harden their houses and what they are doing after the Eaton Fire to come up with creative and necessary ways to be fire smart; but right now I want to focus on air quality. 

Our air quality is being affected by the fires – not only those in our state but the Canadian fires. (granted, northern California is getting most of the smoke.) According to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) the areas of “potential direct smoke impact” are in Palmdale, Lancaster and throughout Riverside. There is a very fine line of smoke that is impacting areas that skirt through Santa Clarita and the edges of LA County. 

From Tuesday into Wednesday this week, AQMD’s forecast stated, “Overall, AQI (Air Quality Index) is expected to be highest immediately next to the Rosa and Gold Fire burn areas and in the San Jacinto Mountains. AQI may reach unhealthy for sensitive groups or higher at times in these areas from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday. AQI due to ozone pollution is expected to reach unhealthy levels in much of the Inland Empire and unhealthy for sensitive groups in other inland areas on Wednesday afternoon. The Inland Empire, Crestline, Angeles National Forest, and the San Bernardino mountains: AQI due to particle pollution in the moderate category is expected at most times on Tuesday afternoon and on Wednesday. AQI may reach unhealthy for sensitive groups at times.”

I think we hear terms like “moderate” or “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and just assume we know what they mean; however, terms like moderate may mean one thing to one person and something completely different to another – so here are the definitions according to AQMD:

First of all – Air Quality Index is a way of explaining data collected from air pollutant monitoring stations put into a scale. AQI is a number that ranges from 0 to 500 and indicates how clean or polluted the air is and how that can affect individuals. 

The AQI is divided into six categories: Good with an AQI of 0 to 50, Moderate with an AQI of 51 to 100, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups with an AQI of 101 to 150, Unhealthy with an AQI of 151 to 200, Very Unhealthy with an AQI of 201 to 300 and Hazardous with an AQI of greater than 300. 

So as you can see even the moderate level may be difficult for some people.

Good means good – it is safe to go outdoors and breathe the air that “poses little to no risk.”

Moderate level means the air quality is acceptable, however unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

The Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups level stresses that these groups of individuals should limit prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. This includes people with heart disease, pregnant women, children and older adults and people with lung disease such as asthma. 

Unhealthy is pretty self-explanatory – it means that everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, like throat irritation or difficulty breathing. Those people who are sensitive could experience serious effects. 

Very Unhealthy: this means it is dangerous for everyone. Individuals should not just curtail their time outside but avoid all outdoor physical activity. 

Hazardous would trigger warnings of emergency conditions. This would mean the entire population would be affected and that everyone should avoid, not just limit, their activity outdoors. 

It’s important for us to know these levels and what they mean and to pay attention to the warnings from the AQMD. Air quality is something that can affect us all – young and old. It can create future health issues for our kids and immediate issues for adults. 

To follow AQMD visit www.aqmd.gov or download the AQMD app on your phone. 

And if you are going outside, especially if you are sensitive to air quality, wear an N95 or P100 respirator mask. I know we are all still a little mask shy due to COVID-19 and many of us move away from wearing a face mask; however, wearing a mask to protect yourself is not a political statement. It is simply a statement that you enjoy breathing and would like to continue to do so for as long as you possibly can. 

Our weather is warming up … hot today seeing temperatures in the upper 90s. After that it will drop a little to the mid-to-low 90s. This is above our average of the mid-80s, so we will see temperatures up to 10 degrees above our normal, according to NOAA. 

This is a “compressional heating,” which is when the air warms as it descends and is compressed by the increasing atmospheric pressure, according to NOAA. 

Bottom line: it will be hot so use all the precautions necessary for high temperature days including wearing sunscreen and staying hydrated.