News Release
MONTEREY BAY
24580 Silver Cloud Court / Monterey, California 93940
PH: 831/647-9411 / FAX 831/647-8501
www.mbuapcd.org/
Unified Air Pollution Control District
serving Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact Richard Stedman
(831) 647-9411
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Issued noon  August 17, 2009
Air Quality Advisory Issued for Lockheed/Bonny Doon Wildfire
Smoke concentration in Santa Cruz County reached Very Unhealthy levels during the early
morning hours. As a precaution, people with heart or lung disease, the elderly, children and
pregnant women should avoid any outdoor activity; everyone else should avoid any outdoor exertion.
If you have symptoms of lung or heart disease that may be related to exposure to smoke and
particles, including repeated coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest
tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea or unusual fatigue or lightheadedness, contact your health care
provider. Changing wind, weather and fire conditions, which are not fully predictable, determine to
what extent smoke from the fire affects ground level air quality in your area. Given these
uncertainties, if you smell smoke or sense particles in the air where you are, be cautious and use
common sense to protect your family’s health.
Although the Lockheed Fire continues to burn, firefighters have now gained 65% containment with full
containment expected later this week. Information on this incident from CALFIRE as of 9:30 am this
morning is summarized below:
Name
Location
Acres
Lockheed
8 mi NW of
Santa Cruz
7,017
(11 sq. mi)
Containment
Current
Full
65%
Expected
8/20
Started
Cause
8/12
Under
Investigation
*For the latest information on this fire go to CALFIRE Current Incidents
Current Conditions – Smoke impacts over the region can be expected to diminish over the next few
days as firefighters gain containment of the blaze and the amount of smoke being produced
diminishes. However, Santa Cruz Co. in particular continues to experience high levels of smoke.
This includes Davenport which has experienced very unhealthy levels of smoke, especially during the
morning hours when smoke from the large smolder field can drain into the area. Santa Cruz and
communities near the fire and along the Hwy 9 corridor have also experienced significant levels of
smoke. Smoke present both in and above the marine layer has been a major factor in delivering
smoke over a wide area. Smoke concentrations can increase briefly during the morning hours as the
marine layer breaks up and mixes smoke down to the surface. The afternoon sea breeze further
spreads the smoke over a wide area with elevated smoke levels extending south beyond King City
and east to Hollister. Airsheds throughout the region have been affected by smoke from this multiday event so lingering impacts may recur over the next few days until all the smoke is cleared out of
the region. Onshore flow is expected to continue over the next few days so the current pattern of
smoke, ash fall and generally hazy skies is expected to continue, although hopefully in a diminishing
fashion. This Advisory will be updated as conditions warrant.
For a NWS satellite image click Visible Satellite Image.
For a regional smoke particulate forecast click BlueSky PM2.5 Forecast
Enhanced Monitoring; Displayed on Internet - The Air District has set up real-time smoke
monitors at seven stations throughout the air basin, from King City up to Davenport. These stations
transmit hourly averages to the District website. These readings can be accessed from the internet
as follows: Go to mbuapcd.org
 Click on “Air Monitoring” under “Programs”
 Then click on “Air Monitoring Data – District (Requires Java 5.0)”
 Click on the down arrow in the dialog box
 Scroll down and
 Click on”Particulates” for the most recent readings throughout the air basin, or
 Click on”Historical-Particulates” for historical readings throughout the air basin.
The top line of each location box indicates PM10d, the particulate reading in ugm3, and the time of
the reading (PST, backward average over 1 hour). PM10 means particulate matter under 10 microns
in size, the inhalable size range. Ugm3 means micrograms per cubic meter, the concentration of
smoke in the air. Compare this number with the table below to determine degree of potential health
effects.
Characterization of Smoke Levels and Potential Health Effects
Particulate matter
Potential Health Effects
(1-hr average, ug/m3)
Good
0 – 38
None expected
Possible aggravation of heart or respiratory
Moderate
39 – 88
disease.
Unhealthy
Increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms and
89 – 138
for Sensitive
aggravation of lung disease such as asthma.
Groups
Category
Unhealthy
Very
Unhealthy
Hazardous
139 - 351
352 – 526
over 526
Increased respiratory symptoms and aggravation
of lung and heart diseases; possible respiratory
effects in general population.
Significant increase in respiratory symptoms and
aggravation of existing lung and heart disease;
increasing likelihood of respiratory effects in
general population.
Serious aggravation of heart or lung disease,
premature mortality in persons with
cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; serious
risk of respiratory effects in general population.
Cautionary Statements
None
People with heart or lung disease should pay
attention to symptoms.
People with heart or lung disease, the elderly,
children and pregnant women should limit prolonged
exertion and stay indoors when possible.
People with heart or lung disease, the elderly,
children and pregnant women should avoid
prolonged exertion and stay indoors when possible;
everyone else should limit prolonged exertion.
People with heart or lung disease, the elderly,
children and pregnant women should avoid any
outdoor activity; everyone else should avoid any
outdoor exertion.
Everyone should avoid any outdoor activity;
everyone should remain indoors whenever possible.
General Protective Measures - Given the uncertainties of weather and wildfires, unforeseen smoke
impacts may occur throughout the air basin. We advise people to protect themselves from the smoke by
staying indoors or moving away from impacted areas. Even if you don’t see visible smoke in your area, if
you can smell it, your exposure is probably significant enough that it’s advisable to take measures to limit
your exposure.
We also recommend that you protect your indoor air, which may be your only refuge from widespread
smoky conditions outside. We recommend that you close all doors and windows and, if possible, set
ventilation systems to recirculate indoor air as opposed to bringing in contaminated outside air. We also
recommend that any person with respiratory ailments, young children and older adults limit their exposure
to smoky air by staying indoors, or temporarily seeking areas with cleaner air. Even healthy people
should reduce or avoid vigorous exercise outdoors during periods of significant smoke when the odor of
smoke is pronounced.
Residents are advised that ash from structural fires may contain hazardous chemicals. Precautions
should be taken to minimize contact and inhalation of ash residuals as much as possible, particularly if
there is active burning or if ash is disturbed by walking through it or by machinery.
Burn Day Suspension - Given the abundance of smoke in the region, permissive burning is
suspended until further notice.
Air Quality Advisories and Updates are posted on our web site at http://www.mbuapcd.org/
under Air Quality Advisory.
Sources of Information




California Air Resources Board Wildfire Smoke Guide (PDF File)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: information on fires and emergency
response.
California Air Pollution Control Officer's Association smoke impacts webpage: health impacts
of smoke and protective measures, and includes links for additional information.
Forecasted Weather Conditions for the Bonny Doon area