Air quality advisory extended through Thursday for Bay Area due to wildfire smoke

SAN FRANCISCO -- Smoke drifting south from the Sites Fire in Colusa County has prompted Bay Area regulators to extend an air quality advisory through Thursday.

The fire started Monday, has burned nearly 16,000 acres and is only about 5 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.

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"Smoke mainly from the Sites Fire is expected to continue to impact portions of Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties through tomorrow," Bay Area Air Quality Management District officials said in a news release Wednesday.

While people, especially those with health issues, young children and the elderly, should avoid prolonged exposer to smoky air, conditions aren't expected to exceed the national 24-hour health standard, so no regional Spare the Air Alert was issued.

People can check the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's fire and smoke map for local impacts at https://fire.airnow.gov/.

The smoky skies will coincide with a warming trend that will boost temperatures into the 80s to low 100s for the region's interior valley areas away from the coast, according to the National Weather Service.

The peak heat is expected Saturday and while other areas will experience warmer than average temperatures, they aren't likely to rise to hazardous levels.

Coastal areas should see temperatures in the 60s to 70s while communities along the Bay, especially in the East Bay, will hit the 80s during the same period.

People can find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect by registering for the alerts here, calling 1(800) HELP-AIR, downloading the Spare the Air smartphone app or connecting with Spare the Air on social media.

What are Spare the Air days?

Air quality in the Bay Area can be unhealthy at times throughout the year.

Spare the Air Alerts are called when ozone pollution is forecast to reach unhealthy levels. Ozone, or smog, can cause throat irritation, congestion, chest pain, trigger asthma, inflame the lining of the lungs and worsen bronchitis and emphysema. Long-term exposure to ozone can reduce lung function. Ozone pollution is particularly harmful to young children, seniors and those with respiratory and heart conditions.

When a Spare the Air Alert is called, outdoor exercise should be done only in the early morning hours when ozone concentrations are lower. Residents are encouraged to reduce air pollution every day by rethinking their commute and avoiding driving alone.

Find out more about what the Air District is doing to address climate change in the nine-county Bay Area. Spare the Air-Cool the Climate is a blueprint for tackling regional air pollution and climate pollutants while improving the health of Bay Area residents for the next several decades. Check out the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's video about their vision on climate change:

On Spare the Air days or nights, there is no free transit.

Here's a list of simple things the public can do to make clean air choices every day:

• Bike to work or around town
• Take public transit
• Work at home or telecommute
• Carpool and link your errands to reduce driving
• Avoid using gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers
• Reduce household energy use
• Don't use lighter fluid on the barbecue
• Avoid using aerosol spray cleaners, paints and hairspray

The Spare the Air smog season runs from May through October. The Winter Spare the Air season runs from November through February.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality in the Bay Area. For more information about Spare the Air, visit www.sparetheair.org

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