Air quality worsens as fires continue to burn

Wildfires burning throughout the region and state continue to challenge firefighters, threaten homes and worsen air quality.

Fires are burning in several neighboring counties -- virtually surrounding the Sacramento area -- and driving smoke into the Valley.

The intensity of the fires and faint breezes are contributing to the smoky haze.

"We have light winds about 10 mph, so the smoke isn't moving very much," said Felix Garcia, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

High temperatures Monday were forecast around 90 degrees, he said.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District recommends that people stay indoors if they smell smoke. Particulate matter from smoke is unhealthy to breathe, the district's Spare the Air Web site states.

Hundreds of fires were sparked by lightning strikes over the weekend throughout Northern California.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, some of the the biggest fires triggered by the weekend lightning were still burning fiercely in the three-county area of Sonoma, Napa and Lake. Those six fires have totaled 7,250 acres burned and more than 300 homes are still threatened.

The Walker Fire, burning near Indian Valley Reservoir in Lake County, has burned 2,000 acres and was not contained by early afternoon.

The Wild Fire, burning northeast of Napa, has burned 3,750 acres and is 40 percent contained, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials. That fire has destroyed one home and an outbuilding and has forced evacuations in Napa and Solano counties.

The Wild fire burning northeast of Napa, northwest of Fairfield, has burned 3,750 acres and is 40 percent contained, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials.

The fire has destroyed one home and an outbuilding and has forced evacuations in Napa and Solano counties, Cal Fire's Web site states.

The fire continues to threaten 250 homes, said Daniel Berlant, a Cal Fire spokesman.

The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation center at the Fairfield Community Center, at 1000 Kentucky St.

Sixteen fires were reported over the weekend in Amador and El Dorado counties. The fires burned a total of 80 acres and are all contained.

And in Placer County, firefighters have fully contained a blaze that scorched 100 acres along Mosquito Ridge Road, off Foresthill Road.

While the fire likely will not be fully controlled until about 5 p.m. Monday, crews have a line around the fire and are performing mop up duties, said Bill Mendonza, a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection battalion chief.

"We're confident that we'll be able to hold it on the ridge," he said.

The fire had the potential to threaten many homes, but no evacuations were ordered.

No injuries resulted from the blaze.

The fire is believed to have been caused by lightning, but that remains unconfirmed, Mendonza said.

Inmate fire crews from the Nevada Division of Forestry were brought in to help fight the Mosquito fire because Cal Fire personnel were busy fighting other fires throughout northern California, he said.

Firefighters received reports of several fires throughout Placer and Nevada counties over the weekend and are checking on those areas throughout the day to ensure the fires remain extinguished, Mendonza said.

Farther north, 24 fires were reported in the Butte County area, 36 fires in Tehama and Glenn counties, and 50 fires in Lassen and Modoc counties.