Air Quality Smoke Advisory July 23, 2025

The Orleans Complex/Butler Fire (east of Orleans in Siskiyou County) is the main fire generating smoke that impacts our region.  An Air Resource Advisor (ARA) from the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program has been deployed to the Orleans Complex Fire and is providing a Smoke Outlook for communities around the fire (see https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/76403346?).

An upper level weather system will bring the potential for thunderstorms mainly on Thursday and Friday afternoons, which may increase fire activity and a potential increase in smoke.  Smoke accumulation will continue during the overnight through morning hours in valleys near ongoing fires.  Low-lying areas may see smoke impacts due to inversions trapping smoke within the drainages, which may persist in some areas. Some improvement in air quality is possible in the afternoon with greater mixing except immediately downwind of the fire.

Air quality monitors and the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for communities should be viewed at the EPA’s AirNow Fire & Smoke Map at https://fire.airnow.gov.   All AQI forecasts below are based on a 24-hour average.

 

ALERT status – Hazardous      (AQI 301 and higher, 24 hr. avg):

 - none -

ADVISORY status – Unhealthy      to Very Unhealthy      (AQI 151-300 range, 24 hr. avg):

 - none -

 

Regional Smoke Outlooks – Good     , Moderate     , to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups      (AQI 0-150 range):

Humboldt County:

• Eureka area (including Scotia to Trinidad) – Good
• Orleans – Good to Moderate, with periods of increased smoke impacts depending on fire behavior
• Hoopa – Good to Moderate
• Willow Creek – Good to Moderate
• Garberville – Good
• Shelter Cove – Good

Del Norte County:

• Crescent City – Good
• Gasquet – Good
• Klamath – Good to Moderate

Trinity County:

• Weaverville area – Good to Moderate
• Trinity Center area – Moderate, with periods of increased smoke impacts depending on fire behavior
• Hayfork – Good
• Mad River, Ruth – Good

Information on the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for particulate matter, fire locations and smoke plumes, and US Forest Service Air Resource Advisor (ARA) Smoke Outlook Forecasts, are available at the EPA’s AirNow Fire & Smoke Map at https://fire.airnow.gov.   

US Forest Service Air Resource Advisors (ARAs) are assigned to certain fires that may impact our area and typically provide daily Smoke Outlook Forecasts for local communities around active wildfires at: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook.

Clean Air Centers provide a safe place to go during periods of intense wildfire smoke or poor air quality. For information about available Clean Air Centers go to CARB’s CA Clean Air Centers at:  https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/cleanaircenters.

For information about School Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance during wildfires please visit:  https://www.ncuaqmd.org/aq-guidance-for-schools.

Fire information can be found at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ or https://fire.airnow.gov/ or app.watchduty.org.  As with all wildfires, ash fallout is possible.  Ash fallout information can be found in the Wildfire Smoke Resources section of our webpage at www.ncuaqmd.org.

Health Information & Actions to Protect Yourself from Smoke Impacts

For information on the steps, you can take to keep your family safe before and during wildfire season visit CARB’s Smoke Ready California (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/smokereadyca).

Concentrations of smoke may vary depending upon location, weather, and distance from the fire. Smoke from wildfires and structure fires contain harmful chemicals that can affect your health. Smoke can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing.  People who are at greatest risk of experiencing symptoms due to smoke include: those with respiratory disease (such as asthma), those with heart disease, young children, and older adults.

These sensitive populations should stay indoors and avoid prolonged activity. All others should limit prolonged or heavy activity and time spent outdoors. Even healthy adults can be affected by smoke. Seek medical help if you have symptoms that worsen or become severe.

Follow these general precautions to protect your health during a smoke event:

• Minimize or stop outdoor activities, especially exercise.
• Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible.
• Do not run fans that bring smoky outdoor air inside – examples include swamp coolers, whole-house fans, and fresh air ventilation systems.
• Run your air-conditioner only if it does not bring smoke in from the outdoors. Change the standard air conditioner filter to a medium or high efficiency filter. If available, use the “re-circulate” or “recycle” setting on the unit.
• Do not smoke, fry food, or do other things that will create indoor air pollution.

Consider leaving the area until smoke conditions improve if you have repeated coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea, unusual fatigue, lightheadedness.

For further information, visit the District’s website at www.ncuaqmd.org or call the District’s Wildfire Response Coordinator at (707) 443-3093 x122.

NORTH COAST UNIFIED

AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

707 L Street, Eureka, CA 95501

(707) 443-3093

www.ncuaqmd.org