6/24/19 NEW Air Quality Advisory

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ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION 

Division of Air Quality 

AIR QUALITY ADVISORY  

Southcentral Alaska #2019-F9 

Monday, June 24, 2019 

LOCATION(S) IMPACTED:  Southcentral Alaska is experiencing degraded air quality due to wildfire smoke from the Swan Lake fire located on the Kenai Peninsula.

VALID TIME: Monday June 24, 2019 4:00 PM to Friday June 28, 2019 4:00 PM, advisory will be issued until end of the event.

TIME/DATE OF THE NEXT REPORT: Friday June 28, 2019 4:00 PM

ADVISORY: Smoke from the Swan Lake fire on the Kenai Peninsula is impacting the air quality for Southcentral Alaska. Southwesterly winds will be transporting smoke into the Anchorage bowl and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley through Wednesday the 26th of June.  Winds are expected to shift to a more northerly component mid-week. At that time, fire/smoke will move to the south over the Sterling Highway, daytime heating will cause westerly winds up the mountain valleys which will carry the smoke towards the communities of Cooper Landing and Moose Pass.  The air quality will vary between GOOD and UNHEALTHY depending on wind flow and proximity to the fires. See the table below for more guidance on the Air Quality Categories and Cautionary Statements.

Be aware that areas immediately downwind of any fire will experience HAZARDOUS levels of smoke. Generally, worse conditions occur overnight and during the early morning hours, as the atmosphere cools and brings smoke to the surface. During the day, surface heating will mix smoke and carry it upwards, temporarily improving air quality.

SMOKE AND PUBLIC IMPACT: This is an area forecast, and as such is a general forecast for portions of Southwestern Interior Alaska.  Smoke intensity will vary depending on precise location and local wind flow patterns.  Smoke concentrations will be such that they could impact public health at times.  It is advised that travelers check local weather as smoke conditions may vary considerably from one locality to the next.

The most recent weather observations may be found on National Weather Service’s homepage at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/ .  UAFSMOKE, Wildfire Smoke Prediction for Alaska can be accessed at http://smoke.alaska.edu/PM25.html

In smoke impacted areas, DEC advises people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should avoid prolonged exertion; everyone else should limit prolonged exertion.

The following table contains the cautionary statements for the Air Quality for Particle Pollution

When air quality data is unavailable, the following Air Quality Smoke Reference Guide may be used to estimate air quality levels and potential health impacts:

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  For information on this advisory, contact Mark Smith with the Division of Air Quality at 907-269-7676.