The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District issued a countywide air quality report on Nov. 6 due to wildfire smoke from the Mountain Fire in Ventura County. As of Nov. 12, Santa Barbara County remains on watch.
A U.S. EPA AirNow map shows the air quality index in the Goleta and Santa Barbara area. As of Nov. 12, the immediate area has a “good” air quality index. Screenshot of the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map.
The Mountain Fire in Ventura County began on Nov. 6 and has burned 20,630 acres after being active for six days. As of Nov. 12, nearly 200 homes have been burned. The fire is currently ongoing and at 48% containment; its cause is still under investigation.
The air quality watch was also called due to smoke coming from the Santa Lucia Fire outside of Lompoc that began on Nov. 7, but as of Nov. 12 is fully contained. Both fires are still producing significant smoke and wind conditions are dispersing the smoke throughout the region, according to a Santa Barbara County (SBC) press release.
“The wind conditions are constantly changing. So it’s not uncommon for Santa Barbara County to have wildfire smoke impacting our area from fires that occur outside of the county, that happens throughout the years,” SBC Public Health Department Interim Deputy Director Ryyn Schumacher said to the Nexus.
Current ground-level air quality conditions throughout SBC vary from good to moderate and are unhealthy for sensitive groups in locations close to the Santa Lucia Fire. While the conditions remain healthy for now, Schumacher warns that the wind conditions can change quickly and put areas of the county in the yellow or orange zone of the air quality index, meaning the air quality poses a health risk.
Everyone in proximity to the fire — but specifically those sensitive to changes in air quality, like people with heart and lung conditions, older adults, pregnant women and children — “should limit time spent outdoors” and “avoid outdoor exercise” when there are high concentrations of smoke and particles in the air, according to the press release.
The Nexus will continue reporting on this topic as more information becomes available.
A version of this article appeared on p. 5 of the Nov. 14, 2024 edition of the Daily Nexus.
