Electra Fire update: Here’s air quality conditions as wildfire burns southeast of Sacramento

The Electra Fire, which sparked Monday along the Amador and Calaveras county line southeast of Sacramento, has disrupted the air quality in several areas in the region. But right now, it hasn’t hurt Sacramento.

AirNow reports air quality in the capital city as “good” in both ozone and particulate matter. Tuesday morning, the air quality index was at 13, with ozone as the primary pollutant. It’s forecast to worsen throughout the day and week as temperatures rise.

Wildfires make the outdoor and indoor air unhealthy to breathe, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The smoke, made from a “complex mixture” of gases and particles, can irritate the eyes and repository system and aggravate chronic diseases in the heart and lungs.

At 0% containment by Tuesday morning, the fire is at more than 3,000 acres.

The air near Mokelumne Hill has moved from “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” and residents are advised to “limit all outdoor activities,” according to AirNow’s air quality map. By around noon Tuesday, two locations were showing indexes above 200.

“Moderate” to “unhealthy” air quality is reported in Jackson, Sutter Creek, Angels Camp, Murphys, Amador City and more, according to AirNow’s California fire and smoke map as of noon Tuesday.

Near Jackson, the air quality index was 171 as of 9 a.m., according to the map. Particulate matter is the primary pollutant. It is now below 100, at a moderate level.

Moderate air quality means most people can open windows or go outside if they don’t “see or smell smoke,” while unhealthy air quality levels suggest people should keep “outdoor activities light and short” and go indoors if symptoms develop, according to AirNow.

This story was originally published July 5, 2022 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Electra Fire update: Here’s air quality conditions as wildfire burns southeast of Sacramento."