Smoke from the ongoing fires at the edge of the southern Sierra, the KNP Complex and Windy fires, will be moving at elevated levels over the Bay on Monday, creating hazy conditions.
The smoke model from the National Weather Service seen below shows the large smoke plume eminating from the KNP Complex fires and the Windy Fire, with the former still only 20% contained as of Monday. Both fires are burning near sequoia groves on national park land in Tulare County.
The model has most of the smoke clearing out of our area by Tuesday morning.
Some elevated smoke and haze may be noted Monday morning from the KNP Complex and Windy fires in Tulare county. Incoming trough will change the upper winds by Tuesday reducing elevated smoke/haze across the Bay Area. #MondayMorning pic.twitter.com/kwf6Mpi2z1
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 4, 2021
Because the smoke will remain aloft and is not expected to impact our air quality, the Bay Area air district did not extend a Spare the Air alert that expired on Sunday.
The heatwave the region experienced over the last few days is subsiding today, and a cooling trend sets in Tuesday through the end of the week, with below-normal temperatures expected.
As of Monday, the Windy Fire in Sequoia National Forest had grown about 700 acres overnight, to 94,746 acres, and it is 68% contained.
The KNP Complex, now active for 23 days, has burned 67,708 acres, and its containment level dropped back down to 11% as of Monday morning. The U.S. Forest Service says that containment dropped due to the growth in the size of the fire in recent days.
And, here's the explanation for the smoke movement: "The high-pressure ridge that has held smoke over the fire over the past few days will begin to break down as a low-pressure trough approaches today. This will allow a small increase in westerly winds aloft which will start to lift smoke up and out of the area. Local winds will remain light and terrain driven. Humidity levels will rise slowly as moister air moves into the area, which will help moderate fire behavior slightly in the coming days."
Meanwhile, the massive Dixie Fire, to our northeast, remains 94% contained, as it was last week. Responsibility for the remainder of the firefight was transferred Saturday from Cal Fire to the U.S. Forest Service, as the remaining hot spots are in Lassen National Forest, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Plumas National Forest.
