SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA (BCN) — Residents of two air quality zones in the Bay Area who are unusually sensitive to pollution should limit prolonged outdoor exertion Monday and Tuesday, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD).
As the 2015 Spare the Air season starts today, BAAQMD officials said the index for the level of soot in the northern zone and coast and central bay zone will be more than 50 today.
The index in the northern zone will be 53 and the index in the coast and central bay zone will be 55. A reading above 50 poses a health concern for some, district officials said. Soot can cause shortness of breath, aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions and even affect a person’s cardiovascular health, according to the BAAQMD.
Soot is either microscopic solid particles or liquid droplets, according to the BAAQMD. Smaller particles are more dangerous than larger ones because they can be absorbed more deeply into the lungs, according to the district’s website.
District officials did not provide a specific value for the two zones Tuesday, but said the forecast is for an index above 50. Forecasters expect no health impacts with readings of 50 or below.
The northern zone includes cities in the North Bay such as Santa Rosa, San Rafael, Petaluma, Novato and Vallejo. The coast and central bay zone contains cities such as San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Moss Beach, Alameda and Burlingame.
During the 2015 Spare the Air season, district officials said they are aiming to reduce smog-forming pollution in the summer and warmer months of the year. District officials are encouraging residents to reduce pollution by rethinking their commute and avoid driving alone.