Air Quality Predictions

Air quality predictions were created using the BlueSky smoke modeling framework for wildfire smoke along with the National Emissions Inventory from the EPA for other, background sources. Sonoma Technology, Inc.'s MM5 weather forecast model predictions at 36km grid spacing are used. The model is run once daily at results are usually available by 6:30 am Pacific time. Fire emissions are from vegetation burning in the wildfires only and do not include structures or other combustables. Predictions are run twice daily at 00Z and 12Z (~4 o'clock local time), and are available by approximately 7-8 o'clock local time. Predictions do include carry over smoke from previous days burning. For predictions showing only smoke from fires and without carry over smoke see the smoke prediction forecasts. These forecasts are a private/government/university partnership between Sonoma Technology, the US Forest Service AirFire Team, and the Desert Research Institute's Climate, Ecosystem, and Fire Applications (CEFA) program.

Fine scale (less than 2.5 microns) particulate matter concentration predictions (known PM2.5) are shown.

Links:

• Current air quality prediction
  • view total daily PM2.5
  • view hourly PM2.5 as animated gif
  • view hourly PM2.5 as javascript animation
• BlueSky smoke model