As Kincade Fire Grows AIR QUALITY MAP Expect Smoky Conditions Across Bay Area

The Kincade Fire continues to burn Monday morning in Sonoma County, with about 180,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders. A Spare the Air Alert for smoke throughout the entire Bay Area region has been issued for Monday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said.

Many around the San Francisco Bay Area woke up to a strong smell of smoke Monday morning, as sooty air from the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County swept into the region.

This is a result of the rapidly-growing Kincade Fire burning in Sonoma County, which at last check had ballooned to more than 54,000 acres; it remains 5% contained. As of Monday morning, the latest air quality map shows the immediate area near the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County reading at 343.

In Sonoma County, where the Kincade Fire has been burning for five days, almost 80,000 structures remain threatened by the wildfire, 96 have already been destroyed and 16 more were damaged, Cal Fire said in an incident report at 7 a.m. Monday.

Another resource for air quality, Purple Air shows high levels of particulate matter on the San Francisco peninsula and especially in the East Bay. On the Purple Air site, you can see that many of the sensors in the North Bay and in the East Bay Hills are not in service.

"Air quality is expected to be unhealthy Monday due to smoke from the Kincade Fire and potentially other local fires," said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Bay Area Air District. "It is critical that residents follow evacuation orders and instructions from local health officials to protect their health."

The National Weather Service forecast predicted smoke would be widespread across the Bay Area Monday morning. The NWS uses the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh-Smoke (HRRR-Smoke) model for its smoke forecast and NWS forecaster Anna Schneider says the last run of the HRRR model shows the bulk of the smoke beginning to blow north, back into Eastern Sonoma and Napa County later this afternoon.

People who smell smoke are encouraged to stay indoors and close all doors and windows. It is also recommended that people set their air conditioning units and car ventilation systems to recirculate mode in order to avoid the smoky air.