ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District is warning residents about current air conditions in the county. According to them, ongoing wildfires and rising temperatures are making it worse.
- With ongoing fires and rising temperatures in the county, officials say air quality conditions pose a threat to residents.
- A recent report from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District examines how the weather is impacting the particulate matter and what residents can do to stay safe
- According to the district, residents in foothills and mountain communities are most affected by particulate matter and ozone.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District is warning residents about current air conditions in the county. According to them, ongoing wildfires and rising temperatures are making it worse.
"Two major pollutants that we deal with in the San Joaquin Valley are particulate matter pollution which are teeny-tiny particles that exist in fire and combustion," said Valley Air District Outreach and Communications Manager Heather Heinks.
Due to the county's location, polluted air is trapped between the mountains, and the pressure overhead from weather systems generated off the ocean.
"There is nowhere for the air underneath us, including pollution to go," explained Heinks.
She says that when haze from fires settles overnight, it follows the slope of the foothills, targeting nearby communities like Arvin.
According to Heinks, ozone is the second major air pollutant affecting foothills or mountain communities.
She says this process occurs when vehicles or factories in the area produce volatile organic compounds or nitrogen oxide. When these two compounds bake together, they produce ozone and though you can't smell or see ozone, she says this type of pollutant increases with hot temperatures.
In collaboration with the district, the City of Arvin says they're working to reduce pollution levels in the city.
"We're trying to reduce particulate matter by doing clean energy projects, by conducting more awareness, and by incorporating the youth in environmental justice groups," said Arvin Grant Manager Christine Viterelli.
With pollution levels expected to increase this summer, the district says encourages the public to take advantage of the resources they offer.
"We've got a clean air rooms program that we work on in conjunction with state and federal funding to give air purifiers to disadvantaged valley communities for free," said Heinks.
The District advises residents who live in neighborhoods near the foothills or mountain communities to pay attention to emergency alerts, and the action they need to take as a result.
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