Smoke from Six Rivers fire spreads to Sacramento Valley. Here’s the latest air quality report

Smoke from the Six Rivers Lightning Complex Fire in Northern California may contribute to worsened air quality in parts of the Sacramento Valley, according to the National Weather Service.

Smoke from the fire is expected to filter into the north and western parts of the valley, which includes Redding, Red Bluff and parts of Chico.

The weather service advises those with upper respiratory issues to check AirNow for the latest air quality conditions before heading outdoors.

The Six Rivers fire ignited on Aug. 5 and has been active for 17 days in Humboldt and Trinity counties, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. A Monday afternoon report from Cal Fire stated it had been 80% contained.

For Redding, AirNow showed the air quality index at 80, or moderate, around 9 a.m. Tuesday for PM 2.5, and 28, or good, for ozone pollutant levels.

“If you are unusually sensitive to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors,” the website states.

Wildfire smoke is mostly contained in the adjacent foothills of the coastal range, as well as the northeast Sierra Nevada foothills, said Idamis Del Valle-Shoemaker, a metereologist with the weather service.

“Basically through about this evening, and conditions should be improving tomorrow in the morning,” Del Valle-Shoemaker said.

She said forecasts show wildfire smoke and haze mostly north of Oroville, which is about 70 miles from Sacramento.

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What is AQI in Sacramento?

The capital region is forecast to hit an air quality index of 108 Tuesday, according to Spare the Air, with ozone pollutants expected to be unhealthy for sensitive individuals.

On Wednesday, the AQI is expected to be 90, or moderate.

Sacramento air quality was affected by the Six Rivers fire last week, hitting unhealthy levels for sensitive groups; however, smoke from the fire is not currently filtering into the capital region.

“Monday and Tuesday, sunny skies and high temperatures in the upper-90s will enhance ozone formation in the Sacramento region,” according to Spare the Air, which was created by the Sac Metro Air Quality Management District.

The air quality organization said that for Wednesday, a weak low-pressure system passing over Northern California will generate winds that will disperse some pollutants — resulting in cleaner air in the Sacramento region.