Wildfire smoke extends Bay Area air quality advisory

SAN FRANCISCO — An air quality advisory for wildfire smoke in the Bay Area has been extended until Thursday by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Although winds from the Oak Fire in Mariposa County have continued to blow into the Bay Area, the air district says the smoke is expected to remain in the air, causing smoky, hazy skies to possibly be visible.

The smell of smoke could potentially be present at higher elevations, but the air quality is forecast to be in the good to moderate range, according to the district.

BAAQMD Air Quality Readings

The district said pollutant levels are not expected to go past the national 24-hour health standard.

Bay Area residents are advised to protect their health by avoiding exposure to the smell of smoke if it is present. Precautions include staying inside with windows and doors closed until smoke levels subside and setting air conditioning units and car vent systems to re-circulate setting to help prevent outside air from coming inside if there’s smoke.

A Spare the Air Alert is not in effect, the air district said. Real-time air-quality monitoring is available on the BAAQMD website. The Purple Air website also provides localize air-quality data.