How did the Oak Fire affect Sacramento’s air quality? This interactive map shows pollutants

Sacramento’s air quality and conditions may have been affected by the recent Oak Fire, which developed in the region Monday night and is still blazing.

Smoke from the Oak Fire, which ignited near the Yosemite National Park Friday, has affected portions of Northern California, specifically residents of Mariposa County. It has destroyed at least seven buildings and burned around 18,715 acres, according to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.

The fire is now 32% contained, according to a Wednesday morning update from Cal Fire. Yosemite is around 140 miles southeast of Sacramento, or an approximately three-hour drive.

As of Wednesday, most of the smoke effect will be in Sierra Nevada and the foothills, with minor smoke in the Sacramento Valley, said Anna Wanless, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

“Some light smoke in the Valley, but it looks like it will be pretty elevated,” Wanless said.

On Monday, the smoke was felt in the Sierra and foothills, and southerly winds were expected to push the wildfire smoke north.

However, the current Delta breeze is no longer favoring that direction and will likely push the smoke east and south, Wanless said.

“It looks like that onshore breeze is going to keep the Sacramento metro area pretty clear,” Wanless said.

This interactive map shows the latest air quality levels in the Sacramento area. Both are in the “good” zone, according to AirNow.

This map illustrates air quality levels for all of California.

There are two common factors that contribute to poor air quality, which include elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone or particulate matter, such as smoke, according to an article from the weather service. The agency does not make any predictions for air quality.

“Particulate matter in the air consists of solid and liquid particles including smoke, dust and other aerosols,” the article reads.

Forecasts show temperatures warming back up after a storm system in the region, reaching up to 97 degrees on Thursday and 99 on Friday. Parts of the northern Sacramento Valley, including Redding, could climb up to and may exceed 110 degrees.

Hot temperatures are also associated with worse air quality due to a lack of air movement, Wanless said.

This story was originally published July 27, 2022 at 11:12 AM.