Soberanes unhealthy air tips
Flames from the Soberanes Fire aren’t directly threatening much of Monterey County, but the fire’s smoke is.
The smoke has triggered air quality advisories at various times for several areas in Monterey County.
People with asthma and other respiratory diseases, those with heart disease, the elderly, children, pregnant women, and smokers are most vulnerable to smoke-related health problems.
Health officials recommend that during times of bad air quality, people stay inside with doors and windows closed and avoid outdoor physical activity. Even if you can’t smell smoke, the air might still be unhealthy.
“One of the things they’re measuring is particulate matter, the very small particles of air that go deep into the lungs. You may not be able to smell that or detect it. That’s why it’s important to go to the air district’s website and look. You’ll see that the Air Quality Index is based primarily on the particulate matter, the very small particles in the air,” said Monterey County Health Officer, Dr. Edward Moreno.
The county has been sending out alerts to residents through their Alert Monterey County program, however those constant updates will stop as of today. They ask people to check the Monterey Bay Air Resources District’s website for the latest air quality information.
