Point Fire smoke not likely to spread to SF, officials say

Bay Area air and weather officials said Monday that San Francisco is expected to largely be spared from the worsening air quality in the region caused by smoke from the still-burning Point Fire in northern Sonoma County .

The fire, which started Sunday afternoon, had burned nearly 1,200 acres of land as of Monday morning and was 20% contained, according to officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Spare the Air alert for the Bay Area on Monday. The region will also be under an air-quality advisory for wildfire smoke Tuesday.

Erin McDermitt, a public-information officer for the air district, told The Examiner on Monday that smoke from the Point Fire is expected to continue spreading throughout the Bay Area. Air quality had improved in portions of Sonoma and Napa counties due to the fire becoming less active and producing less smoke overnight, she said.

“With strong northwesterly winds expected today, air-quality impacts may continue, with smoke being transported to parts of Sonoma, Napa, Solano and Contra Costa counties,” McDermitt said. “These areas may see particulate matter levels in the moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups categories on the air quality index.”

Officials with Cal Fire said that crews worked overnight under favorable conditions to control the blaze. Three helicopters were sent to help support efforts on the ground, but Cal Fire noted that there was a possibility the fire could spread further throughout Monday.

Nicole Sarment, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told The Examiner that it’s difficult to gauge how much smoke will spread The City. She noted that there’s a possibility San Francisco’s skies could at least appear hazy and that residents might see smoke off in the distance.

“The primary transport wind is out of the northwest,” Sarment said. “In theory, the smoke should be going more so over Napa and then down to the southeast that way.”

According to NWS officials, a high-pressure system is currently sitting over the Bay Area and trapping pollutants — including haze and smoke — within lower levels of the atmosphere.

As for the gusty winds that have been billowing throughout The City, Sarment said that “it’s just kind of the season for it right now, especially along locations immediately adjacent to the coast.”

Wildfire experts had predicted a slow start to the season. Last week, officials with the National Interagency Fire Center released the center’s seasonal assessment and outlook through August .

The NIFC noted that precipitation was below normal across much of the state throughout May. Wildfire experts predicted that a slow start to the season remains forecast, with portions of California — including the Bay Area — predicted to have “below normal potential” for wildfires throughout June and July.