NSAQMD shares June air quality results for Portola

The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District released statistics for the month of June, surprisingly, with hardly any deterioration to air quality despite area wildfires and smoke.

According to NSAQMD Air Pollution Control Specialist Julie Ruiz,  there were no days of exceeding the daily National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 35 micrograms per cubic meter for particulate matter (PM2.5) during May or June in Portola. This is typical and expected for this time of year. Since the open residential burn ban is in effect and residents are not heating with wood, PM2.5 is very low.  Depending on fire behavior and wind direction, wildfires may still impact the air quality moving into the upcoming months.

Much of the region is below 50 percent of normal precipitation for the rain year. Precipitation was well below normal for April through June, and summer weather patterns have now set up. Widespread drought conditions have led to severe and extreme drought designations in Plumas County. Significant fire potential is above normal July through October, per Northern California GACC, 7-1-21.  Dry fuels, which cured weeks ahead of usual, are more vulnerable than usual to lightning, as predicted in April, resulting in the Beckwourth Complex Fire, which was over 100,000 acres as of July 16.  CalFire suspended all residential open burning on June 1.

RESOURCES

For real-time Portola air quality:  www.myairdistrict.com

(From the home page, click on Portola to see the level of particulate matter.  Anything in the orange, red or purple ranges exceeds federal and state air quality standards)

For Open Burn Day information:  http://myairdistrict.com/index.php/burning-info/burn-day-status    or call 832-4528.

CLEAR THE AIR; Check Before You Light (November-February):  http://myairdistrict.com/#burn-status-front  or call 832-4067.

For smoke complaints and air quality concerns call 832-0102.

Non-residential burning requires an Air Pollution Permit – call 832-0102 for more information.