11/22/16 Air Quality Summary Report - Wildfires in Western NC

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Tuesday November 22, 2016      

Joint Information Center: 828.575.2840, http://ncjic.blogspot.com/ 

Monitoring:  Portable PM2.5 monitors are currently placed in Robbinsville, Andrews, Franklin and Rutherfordton. Permanent monitors are located in Bryson City, Spruce Pine and Asheville. Yesterday: McDowell County experienced elevated fine particulate matter concentrations throughout the day as a result of the Clear Creek Fire.  All other areas monitored saw Good (Green) PM2.5 levels.    Tuesday: The Clear Creek fire in McDowell County may continue to cause Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG – AQI Code Orange) air quality in that county. For the rest of WNC, generally good air quality this morning may deteriorate as winds will push smoke from wildfires in SC and GA across western NC.  The towns of Robbinsville, Hendersonville and Morganton (from the Chestnut Knob fire) are especially predicted to be impacted.  Tomorrow:  Conditions are predicted to improve tomorrow.  However, residual smoldering is likely to occur, impacting areas with AQI Code Yellow or Orange immediately downwind of ongoing fires. North Carolina Division of Air Quality (DAQ) Air Quality Forecast:  NC DAQ issues an air quality forecast for the entire state each day. Their forecast is for broad geographical areas and is complementary to our more community-specific focus which looks at localized short-term impacts due to the wildfires. To the right is the NC DAQ forecast map for today. Note that DAQ may update its forecast throughout the day at https://xapps.ncdenr.org/aq/ForecastCenter.
Site	AQI Nov 22nd Tuesday			AQI Nov 23rd Wednesday	Comments
Murphy/Andrews	Good			Good	Air quality conditions are predicted to worsen throughout the day at many locations across WNC as smoke from wildfires in SC and GA is blown into our area. The Clear Creek wildfire in McDowell County may continue to cause Code Orange in Marion, and Code Orange is also predicted in Morganton as a result of southerly winds blowing smoke from the Chestnut Knob fire into that area.  Conditions should improve tomorrow, with Good to Moderate air quality predicted at all locations.  Localized areas of higher concentrations may be present immediately downwind of all fires.
Robbinsville	USG			Good
Franklin	Mod			Good
Asheville	Mod			Good
Spruce Pine	Mod			Good
Hendersonville	USG			Mod
Marion	USG			Mod
Morganton	USG			Good
Disclaimer: Conditions may change quickly; these predictions are based on anticipated weather and fire activity. AQI estimates for sites do not represent a full 24 hour time period but, rather, reflect a period of time within the day where smoke impacts would be greatest.
Air Quality Index (AQI) Levels of Health Concern			What the Index means for your health with regards to particulates from smoke
Good			None
Moderate (Mod)			Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups			Although general public is not likely to be affected at this AQI range, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.
Unhealthy			Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.
Very Unhealthy			Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.
Hazardous			Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects.

For more information about North Carolina air quality updates: https://xapps.ncdenr.org/aq/ForecastCenter

For more information about National Forests in North Carolina: https://www.facebook.com/nfsnc/\