Spare the Air alert extended until Wednesday

Smoke from wildfires rises above Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. California’s largest utility is warning it may have to cut power to reduce the risk of more wildfires in the state, just like smoke from fires in Northern California and Oregon that will bring unhealthy air to the San Francisco Bay Area this week. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

(BCN) — The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has extended a “Spare the Air” warning through Wednesday as elevated smog levels continue to pose a respiratory hazard across the region. The “Spare the Air” warning is in effect Tuesday and Wednesday.

The combination of light afternoon sea breezes, extremely high inland temperatures of over 100 degrees and the exhaust fumes from the 3 to 4 million vehicles that travel through the Bay Area each day is leading to levels of air pollution that are harmful to health, according to the aviation authority. Parts of Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties will have air quality scores between 100 and 150 on the federal government’s air quality index, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Active children, adults and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit their outdoor exertion. San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties will experience moderate air quality between 50 and 100.

Particularly sensitive people in these regions are advised to avoid prolonged physical exertion outdoors. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, increased ozone concentrations in the air can lead to throat irritation, congestion and chest pain.

It can also trigger asthma, inflame the lung lining, and aggravate bronchitis and emphysema. Prolonged exposure can impair lung function.

People are advised to exercise outdoors only in the early morning hours, otherwise ozone levels rise. To reduce air pollution, people can limit driving by working from home, walking, cycling, carpooling or using public transportation.

The BAAQMD warned Tuesday that smoke from the Toll Fire could locally affect air quality in Sonoma and Napa counties.

When the Spare the Air alert is in effect, burning wood is illegal. To find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect, residents can register for email alerts, visit www.sparetheair.org, call 1(800) HELP-AIR, download the Spare the Air app, or connect with Spare the Air through Facebook or X.

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