Overview
- As of January 9, EPA’s AirNow continues to flag unhealthy PM2.5 levels in pockets of northern and eastern California, with Portola and areas around Plumas National Forest among the hardest hit.
- Reports this week also noted affected eastern towns such as Keeler, Lone Pine and Cartago, while parts of the Sacramento area, Riverside and Bakersfield showed mostly moderate readings.
- AirNow sensors recorded AQI values above 150 for fine particulates in the early hours of January 6, placing conditions in the unhealthy range that can affect the broader population.
- Health guidance urges residents to limit outdoor exertion, stay indoors when possible, use N95 masks if going outside in high-AQI periods, and check local conditions through AirNow.
- Cal/OSHA advised employers to provide protections for outdoor workers and to modify or suspend outdoor tasks if safeguards are inadequate, as some media headlines overstated the advisory as stay-at-home orders.