Seeing smoky skies in northern SLO County? Here’s where it’s from
Northern San Luis Obispo County is seeing some smoky skies on Friday after two days of prescribed burns in nearby Monterey County.
As of midday Friday, readings reported on the IQ Air app showed Air Quality Index (AQI) levels as high as 174 in Paso Robles and 170 in Bradley, which qualifies as “unhealthy.” Atascadero was at 130, or “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
The Air Pollution Control District’s Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Red Hills, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo and Nipomo stations all adjusted their ratings to “moderate.”
That means the AQI is between 51 and 100 on a scale from zero to 200, with lower numbers being better.
If you can see or smell smoke in San Luis Obispo County, the APCD advised residents to stay indoors.
“Extremely sensitive individuals with existing respiratory or heart conditions may experience adverse health effects and may need to take appropriate precautions,” the APCD’s website said. “The general public likely will not experience symptoms.”
SLO APCD’s Twitter account said there are elevated levels of particulate matter (PM) across the county.
“We are aware of smoke complaints in east Templeton area, S of El Pomar Road,” SLO APCD said via Twitter, “Staff is monitoring the situation, encourage you to head indoors if you smell smoke.”
The “moderate” PM forecast is projected to continue on Saturday in Nipomo, though the rest of the county is expected to return to “good” air quality conditions.
Cal Fire’s San Benito-Monterey Unit recently carried out a prescribed burn on a private property east of Salinas on Oct. 19 and 20, which caused the smoky conditions.
Cal Fire expected smoke from the burn to be visible from the Salinas Valley, Santa Cruz County, San Benito County and Pinnacles National Park.
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 12:36 PM.
