Air Quality Warning Cancelled for Santa Barbara County

A Cal Fire S-2 makes a phos-chek drop near a home on the east side of Painted Cave Road Tuesday morning (Photo: Mike Eliason / SBCFD)

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District canceled the Air Quality Warning that was in effect due to the impacts from the Cave Fire. Air quality throughout the county has been good and the Cave Fire containment continues to improve with the ongoing rainy conditions.

While air quality has improved, the District will continue to monitor local air quality until full containment of the fire is reached. The recent and ongoing rains have assisted with the clean up of ash, but ash deposited during the Cave Fire may be re-suspended by vehicle traffic and wind for some time, and could produce localized areas of unhealthy particle concentrations. Leaf blowers are not recommended for ash cleanup. Instead, sweep ash gently with a broom, and take cars to a car wash. Everyone should avoid skin contact with ash, and no one with heart or lung conditions should handle ash cleanup.

For more information, visit our www.OurAir.org

En Español: https://www.ourair.org/wp-content/uploads/112719-airalert-cxl-sp.pdf

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Quality Warning for Santa Barbara County. Smoke and ash from the Cave Fire is affecting local air quality, and conditions may continue over the next several days.

Levels of smoke and particles, and areas impacted, will vary and conditions could change quickly. Take caution and use common sense to protect your and your family’s health. Everyone, especially people with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, pregnant women, and children, should avoid time spent outdoors when high concentrations of smoke and particles are in the air. If you must go outside, limit your time outdoors and wear a properly fitted N95 mask. When driving, use the recirculate option on the vehicle’s air conditioner.

When wildfire smoke is impacting your neighborhood, close your doors and windows, avoid using your fireplace and use an air-filtering device, which can help remove ash, soot, and dust.

• Select a device with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter.
• Keep the device in one room that could serve as a “clean air room” — the packaging on most devices notes the suitable room size.

If you have symptoms that may be related to exposure to smoke, soot and ash, contact your health care provider. Symptoms include repeated coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, and nausea or unusual fatigue or lightheadedness. If you are sensitive to air pollution, and air quality is poor in your area to the extent that you are unable to keep indoor air clean, consider relocating to an area where the air is cleaner. Stay aware of local air quality conditions and visit https://www.ourair.org/todays-air-quality/