Unhealthy Air In Benicia, Bay Area Expected Through Tuesday

BENICIA, CA — Winter Spare the Air Alerts will continue through next Tuesday in Benicia and throughout much of the Bay Area as a result of smoky conditions caused by the Camp Fire in Butte County, according to regional air quality officials.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District all week has issued the alerts, which prohibit the burning of wood and other solid fuels, and district officials said the bad air quality will continue into next week.

Thursday, the particulate matter pollution — or PM2.5— in Vallejo in the district's Northern Zone was registering between 155 and 193.

A PM2.5 of 151 or greater is considered unhealthy.

"It is critical that Bay Area residents not burn wood and further contribute to the unhealthy air quality we are experiencing," air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said in a statement.

Air district officials said people should limit outdoor activity as much as possible when the alerts are in effect and that new N95 or greater respirator masks should be used if possible when outdoors.

Benicia Unified schools will all be closed Friday because of the unhealthy air quality.

• Poor Bay Area Air Quality Closes Colleges, Universities
• Death Toll Climbs To 56 In Camp Fire, 130 Unaccounted For

By Bay City News Service and Patch local editor Maggie Avants

Image via Baaqmd.gov