Spare the Air alert issued for ozone
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Spare the Air Alert for ozone starting Tuesday, as air quality is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups in some areas.
Parts of the East Bay, including sections of Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara counties, could see higher-than-normal levels of ozone in the atmosphere, which could cause problems for people with respiratory issues such as asthma and emphysema.
Those who are sensitive to unhealthy air should stay indoors if possible, especially in the afternoon when ozone levels tend to peak. Officials are urging area residents to consider driving less to minimize the amount of ozone pollution.
Ozone high up in the atmosphere protects us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation, but at ground level, it can aggravate existing respiratory issues.
Much of the North Bay, San Francisco and the Peninsula are expected to have moderate air quality Tuesday, according to the air district.
Smoke and haze from the KNP Complex and Windy fires in Tulare County, which have burned into sequoia groves and are threatening the Giant Forest, were expected to drift toward the Central Coast and Bay Area between Monday afternoon and Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Keep track of air quality in the Bay Area and across California with The Chronicle’s air quality map.