California fire smoke forecast maps are released by the National Weather Service.
You can see the latest California fire smoke forecast map video below for August 8, 2018. The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office has been posting daily smoke loop videos that show the air quality degradation from the California wildfires.
Update: Here’s the map for August 9, 2018:
Here’s the August 8 map:
“Rise and…shine? Here’s your morning HRRR-Smoke model loop that shows how smoke may move across the area today. Take it easy out there!” the National Weather Service wrote with the map. NWS warned, “Forecast on repeat! Smoke and haze will continue to impact NorCal. Warmer temperatures and increasing fire weather concerns late this week.”
According to the National Weather Service, smoke from the California wildfires is impacting much of the western United States.
Smoke from California wildfires has spread over much of the Western States. #cawx #CarrFire #MendocinoComplex
One of the blazes, the Carr Fire, is only 47 percent contained and has already burned more than 173,000 acres, the NWS reports.
Air Quality Remains a Concern From the California Fires
You can see updated maps by zip code of local air quality here.
Mendocino County wrote in an air quality and public health report for August 7 and August 8, 2018:
The smoke and haze from the River and Ranch Fires are currently impacting selected areas of eastern Mendocino and all of Lake Counties. Currently air monitors show particulate matter concentrations in the ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ range for most of the County. Inland communities and surrounding areas may experience episodes of ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups’ air quality. These include Hopland, Ukiah, Calpella, Redwood Valley, Potter Valley, Willits, and Covelo. Portions of Clearlake and all of the north shore are under an “Unhealthy” air quality alert due to heavy smoke conditions. All other areas of Lake County are forecast to have “Moderate” to “Unhealthy” conditions depending on the wind and fire conditions. Based on forecast of continued high pressure and northwesterly winds, existing conditions are expected to continue through at least Wednesday. Please see the accompanying Public Health Advisory for recommendations of personal protection for sensitive groups, as well as, everyone during “Unhealthy”, or more severe, air quality conditions.
The National Weather Service also posted these maps showing the progression of the Carr, Mendocino Complex, and Donnell fires.
The smoke maps are measuring smoke plumes from all of those wildfires.
The air quality in California is at unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, officials say. They’ve released this health message: “People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion” as the smoke plumes fill the sky due to the fires.
Here’s an August 8, 2018 update on the Carr Fire:
#CarrFire [Update] at Whiskeytown in Trinity/Shasta County is now 173,522 acres and 47% contained.
Here’s a similar update for the Mendocino Complex Fire:
Mendocino Complex Incident Update 8.8.18 AM #MendocinoComplex @MendoSheriff @lakecosheriffCA @mendocinonf @glenncountyoes
The Mendocino Complex fires are now the largest in California’s history.
Smoke from the #MendocinoComplexFires creates an unreal sunset on the shores of Clear Lake in at Austin Park Beach in the city of Clearlake, Monday evening. The fire is now the largest in California history. @NorthBayNews @CALFIRE_CHIEF @CAL_FIRE @NWSSacramento #cawx
An air quality advisory reads, “Wildfires in Northern California are affecting the air quality of inland communities of Mendocino County.” You can see additional information on the website for the Mendocino County Air Quality Management District. “Mendocino County Air Quality Management District continuously monitors the air quality, reporting particulate matter and ozone concentrations hourly to our website,” the site says, providing this link.