As high pressure remains overhead, stagnant air continues to promote thicker morning fog and afternoon haze this weekend, Meteorologist Ophelia Young said. The Sacramento Air Quality Management District has put Sunday into the “Stage 1 – No Burn Unless Exempt” category. That means in Sacramento County, it is illegal to operate a wood-burning device or light a fire unless you use an EPA-certified fireplace insert, stove or pellet stove, and it does not emit visible smoke. “By restricting burning, we’re able to stop the creation of more pollution, and hopefully, when weather conditions change a few days after that, then we’re able to allow burning again,” Emily Allshouse from the Sacramento Air Quality Management District said earlier this week.The annual Check Before You Burn season runs from Nov. 1 through the end of February.The county offers exemptions for certain households that rely on fireplaces as a primary source of heat, but these exemptions require annual application and approval before burning is allowed. How to check air quality where you liveKnowing how to check air quality conditions can help you make the best decisions to keep yourself and your family safe.”Everyone can protect themselves by kind of staying indoors as much as possible, maybe running an air purifier if you have one to help clean that air and keep the dirty air out by having windows closed, which this time of year, isn’t too much of an issue,” Rebecca Schmidt from UC Davis Public Health Sciences said earlier this week. Here are two tools that the KCRA 3 Weather Team uses and trusts.AirNow.govThis site is run by the Environmental Protection Agency.The EPA has sensors throughout Northern California that track both smoke pollution and ozone pollution. Live updates on those readings can be seen using AirNow’s interactive map. The site also provides a rough forecast of expected air quality conditions in specific areas.All of the reports are based on the Air Quality Index, also developed by the EPA.An AQI of 50 or lower represents “Good” quality air that is relatively free of pollutants. Once the AQI reaches 101, air pollution is at a level that is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including the very old, the very young and anyone with a respiratory or immune condition.An AQI above 300 is hazardous in the short and long term for everyone.If you want to check the air quality on the go, the AirNow app is a good, free resource.PurpleAir.comPurpleAir is a private company with its own network of air quality monitors purchased by users around the world. These sensors are specifically designed to track smoke pollution.The free interactive map page displays real-time AQI readings.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
As high pressure remains overhead, stagnant air continues to promote thicker morning fog and afternoon haze this weekend, Meteorologist Ophelia Young said.
The Sacramento Air Quality Management District has put Sunday into the “Stage 1 – No Burn Unless Exempt” category.
That means in Sacramento County, it is illegal to operate a wood-burning device or light a fire unless you use an EPA-certified fireplace insert, stove or pellet stove, and it does not emit visible smoke.
“By restricting burning, we’re able to stop the creation of more pollution, and hopefully, when weather conditions change a few days after that, then we’re able to allow burning again,” Emily Allshouse from the Sacramento Air Quality Management District said earlier this week.
The annual Check Before You Burn season runs from Nov. 1 through the end of February.
The county offers exemptions for certain households that rely on fireplaces as a primary source of heat, but these exemptions require annual application and approval before burning is allowed.
How to check air quality where you live
Knowing how to check air quality conditions can help you make the best decisions to keep yourself and your family safe.
“Everyone can protect themselves by kind of staying indoors as much as possible, maybe running an air purifier if you have one to help clean that air and keep the dirty air out by having windows closed, which this time of year, isn’t too much of an issue,” Rebecca Schmidt from UC Davis Public Health Sciences said earlier this week.
Here are two tools that the KCRA 3 Weather Team uses and trusts.
This site is run by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA has sensors throughout Northern California that track both smoke pollution and ozone pollution. Live updates on those readings can be seen using AirNow’s interactive map. The site also provides a rough forecast of expected air quality conditions in specific areas.
All of the reports are based on the Air Quality Index, also developed by the EPA.
An AQI of 50 or lower represents “Good” quality air that is relatively free of pollutants. Once the AQI reaches 101, air pollution is at a level that is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including the very old, the very young and anyone with a respiratory or immune condition.
An AQI above 300 is hazardous in the short and long term for everyone.
If you want to check the air quality on the go, the AirNow app is a good, free resource.
PurpleAir is a private company with its own network of air quality monitors purchased by users around the world. These sensors are specifically designed to track smoke pollution.
The free interactive map page displays real-time AQI readings.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel