Smoke Alert: Dixon Air Quality Unhealthy For Everyone

DIXON, CA — A smoke alert and "Don't Light Tonight" advisories are in place Thursday and Friday for Dixon, Rio Vista and Vacaville in Solano County as well as all of Yolo County as drift smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County continues to affect the region. Officials with the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District said the air quality registered as "unhealthy" Thursday and is expected to remain so on Friday.

"We're expecting higher levels of PM (particulate matter)... If you are smelling smoke, you're breathing it," YSAQMD officials said Thursday.

Residents are encouraged to stay indoors and limit their outdoor activity, as well as refrain from burning wood or using fireplaces or wood and pellet stoves.

The air quality is currently unhealthy for everyone, regardless of health or fitness level, officials said.

"Wildfire smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and other organic chemicals," according to YSAQMD's Wildfire Smoke Information Page. "It also consists of fine particles, called particulate matter (PM), which can vary in size from visible specks to microscopic molecules. Particulate matter is the main pollutant of concern in wildfire smoke because of the short-term exposures usually experienced by the public. These small particles can bypass the body’s natural defenses and penetrate deep into the lungs."

Short-term health effects can include watery or dry eyes, headaches, shortness of breath, coughing and/or irritated nose or throat, according to YSAQMD.

Long-term health effects can include increased respiratory symptoms, persistent cough, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, irregular heartbeat and/or nonfatal heart attacks, officials said.

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