It’s not cloudy outside in Hollister and San Juan Bautista. That’s haze from the Camp Fire in Butte County, and it’s causing “unhealthy” air quality in the area for sensitive groups, according to the Monterey Bay Air Resources District.
Hollister had a rating of 129 on Saturday. That falls into the unhealthy for sensitive groups category. It’s a notch down from the moderate conditions Friday in Hollister. That’s when San Benito Live spoke with a air resources district spokesman about the conditions.
Local residents will want to take precaution due to air conditions.
David Frisbey, planning and air monitoring manager for the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, warned about the prospects for the current level. He said at the unhealthy level, residents will want to do things like limit their physical activity outside.
“It’s probably just best to not do anything like exercise or go for a run,” he said.
Smoke from the Camp fire in Paradise is hundreds of miles away, but winds can easily carry such low-quality air as far as San Benito County and farther south.
“Pay attention to your own experience,” he said. “If the smoke’s bothering you, then that’s a good indication you should probably stay inside.”
According to a press release sent out Friday from the air resources district:
The Monterey Bay Air Resources District tracks real time air quality in our region. Updates on the current air quality forecast can be found on the Air District website at: http://mbard.org/air-quality/.
