Valley left gasping for air

Smoke casting an orange hue on the Mid-Valley will linger today creating unhealthy air quality until winds disperse the gray clouds or the Northern California fires are put out.

More than 1,000 fires ignited last weekend in Northern California, pumping smoke into the air. The plumes settled in the valley, causing bad air quality, said David Valler, air pollution control officer for Feather River Air Quality Management District.

Valler said he's unsure when conditions will improve.

"It's basically a fire forecast," he said.

Air quality levels measuring for ozone, a harmful form of oxygen when in high concentration, reached 199 in Yuba City on Wednesday, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board. Air quality higher than 151 is unhealthy for everyone, 201 is very unhealthy. Good air quality is lower than 50.

In Colusa, air quality rose to 139, an unhealthy level for sensitive groups. The Colusa County Air Pollution Control District expects similar levels for a few days, said Harry Krug, air pollution control officer.

Krug said he has never seen so much smoke looming over the valley.

People should use common sense, he said. If one can see or smell or smoke, the air is unhealthy and precautions should be taken.

"Stay outta outside - as much as possible," Krug said.

The smoke can trigger asthma, cause chest pains and worsen any respiratory problem, said Val Spooner, director of nurses at the Yuba County Health Department. Symptoms could persist for a few weeks and as long as a year depending on the person's health. She said she noticed an increase in respiratory problems among employees at the health department.

However, a spokeswoman at the Rideout Memorial Hospital emergency room said she hasn't seen an increase in patients complaining of respiratory problems.

"People must be doing the right thing and staying indoors as much as they can," said emergency room nursing supervisor Tracy Sisemore.

Regency Urgent Care in Yuba City had an increase in patients with upper respiratory problems, asthma and lung problems this week due to smoke congesting the air, said John Willis, a physician's assistant at the office.

A Delta breeze might help push smoke east today, but improved air quality may be short-lived. Haze may build back up Friday and Saturday due to hundreds of fires surrounding the valley, said Karl Swanberg, forecaster for the National Weather Service office in Sacramento.

Although isolated thunderstorms are expected at higher elevations this weekend, more moisture may help prevent lightning sparking fires, Swanberg said.

High temperatures today may reach 94 degrees under a blanket of smoke with a low of 59 degrees. Swanberg said the haze blocks out the sun, keeping temperatures lower than usual.

The National Weather Service is predicting highs of 96 on Friday and 98 on Saturday with no mention of smoke. However, Swanberg said he expects the smoke to remain through the weekend.

The dry lightning storms last Saturday sparked 1,086 fires in Northern California. Almost 100,000 acres burned. Cal Fire contained 260 of 523 fires in its district, said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for Cal Fire. The other fires are on federal land.

Dry lightning storms happen about every decade in the area, he said. The last was in 1999. This outburst of fires is unusual so early in the year, Berlant said.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Katy Sweeny at 749-4708 or ksweeny@appealdemocrat.com.