Yesterday,
fire operations designed to protect the northern and western perimeters
continued, with minimal new burning limited due to high winds. Some of this smoke emitted from interior
burning flow down drainage and pooled in the valley causing elevated PM
concentrations Thursday morning. The Westfir
and Oakridge, monitors recorded moderate over night and early morning PM levels
for a short period. By midafternoon today, air quality improves to the good
range. The forecast inversion will not
be a deep as the night before, and with winds a bit faster smoke will not
accumulate in low laying areas. Air quality will start to improve after the
morning inversion breaks.
Today’s smoke will transport to the west-northwest
with easterly winds forecasted for the entire day. Increase wind speed for today
will limit any new burn out operations, but there could be increase in the
internal burning. With the combination
of warmer temperatures and dry conditions, there is a chance of increase
emission production; however, with high mixing heights and fast easterly transport
winds, we can expect good smoke dispersion. We forecast the morning air quality
to reach “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”
in Westfir as smoke vents down the Deception Creek drainage, and “Moderate” for Oakridge. Smoke should clear after winds increase with
inversion break. Air Quality Forecast for Thursday (Particulate Matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter)
|
Site
|
Thursday Morning
Sep 11, 2014
|
Thursday Afternoon
Sep 11, 2014
|
Thursday Evening
Sep 11, 2014
|
|
Oakridge
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
|
Westfir
|
USG
|
Good
|
USG
|
|
Dexter
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
Moderate
|
24_hour PM 2.5 Concentration form Deception Complex
Thursday 9/11/2014
