The Timber and Plaskett fires in Big Sur are now affecting air quality farther down the coast in San Luis Obispo County. A press release from the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District says that smoke from the wildfires is pooling in coastal areas.
“We're seeing widespread smoke impacts present across all of San Luis Obispo County, specifically with the areas in the North Coast: Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay,” said Meghan Field, an air quality specialist with the district.
Current forecasts for Tuesday predict that air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive groups in the areas around Morro Bay, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo.
“We're likely gonna be seeing the same trend through the next couple of days,” Field told KCBX. “We're gonna have poor air quality overnight into the morning — it will slightly improve with wind in midday.”
According to Field, the smoke will move back during the evening and overnight, as wind weakens.
The air district’s press release says to move inside and close doors and windows if you smell smoke or see ash fall.
“These precautions are especially important for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and people with existing respiratory illness and heart conditions, as they are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of poor air quality,” the statement says.
The Plaskett Fire in southern Big Sur has grown significantly since Sunday morning, almost doubling in a 24-hour period. Maria Vaca, a spokesperson for the incident team responding to the fires, said crews experienced “slopovers” Sunday night, when the blaze crossed established containment lines.
“We did get impacted with heavy smoke,” Vaca said. “There was also very dense fog present, which limited the abilities for our aerial operations.”
Vaca told KCBX that the current priority is to strengthen containment lines.
