How to monitor Central Valley air quality as fires burn

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The sky above Fresno was obscured by haze Monday afternoon.

And in Reedley, the mountains are barely visible behind this curtain of smog.

The thick smoke from the June Lightning Complex Fire and the Basin Fire, which continues to rage in the Sierra National Forest, is visible across the valley.

"The smoke is very bad. I mean you wake up coughing and you can smell it all night long," Darlene Frady said.

This interactive map from Air Now shows the air quality in our area over the past 24 hours. Lots of yellow, which is moderate.

But overnight you see the explosion of red near where the Basin Fire is burning, representing unhealthy air.

"If you're smelling smoke or seeing ash falling, you're definitely being impacted so you're going to want to take the necessary steps to remove yourself from that situation," Cassandra Melching with the SJV Air Pollution Control District said.

LIVE UPDATES: Crews battle Basin Fire in Fresno County mountains

Monday evening, the wind had pushed a lot of the unhealthy air out of the Fresno area allowing people to stay active outdoors.

But starting Tuesday, the concern goes up.

"Tomorrow, we are anticipating a strong inversion layer coming in, a high pressure system which means it won't be dispersed as good so we could see impacts," Melching said.

She encourages using an indoor air purifier and changing air conditioning filters and don't forget your car's cabin air filter.

All can help keep you safe from harmful particulate matter.

"PM 2.5 is so microscopic that it gets deep into your lungs. It can get into your blood stream and can cause heart attack, stroke and even death," Melching said.

As the fires and heat continue to be a concern over the next week, people should protect themselves as much as they can and try not to take in too much smoke.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District also has an app, called Valley Air. You can track the air quality in your area right on your smartphone.

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