Smoke from the massive Oak Fire burning near Yosemite will bring hazy skies to the Bay Area in the next few days, leading to an extension in the air quality advisory through Wednesday.
As of 9 a.m. Monday, the Oak Fire burned 16,791 acres in Mariposa County. According to Cal Fire, 10% has been contained and the fire exploded in size over the weekend. In a report on Friday afternoon, more than 2,500 fire personnel are battling the blaze.
According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, winds are pushing smoke from the wildfire to the Bay Area, but it’s expected to stay aloft and only higher elevations may experience the smell of smoke. An air quality advisory issued for Monday has been extended through Wednesday with the possibility of more,
Air quality is predicted to be good to moderate for the region, while pollutant levels are forecasted to not exceed the national 24-hour health standard.
A Spare the Air Alert is not in effect, the air district said.
Drifting smoke is seen in the air in Mariposa County ever since the Oak Fire started on Friday.
“We do expect smoke from that Oak Fire to drift into the Bay Area. Higher elevations may have some smoke impact there,” said Erin DeMerritt of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Skies are clear in San Francisco and the East Bay on Sunday, but an air quality advisory is in place.
Smoke from the Oak Fire can be seen from the International Space Station. The National Weather Service released a time-lapse smoke forecast map where smoke at high elevations can be seen over Bay Area.
