The following message is transmitted at the request of the New Mexico
department of health and the New Mexico environment department.
The Whitewater Baldy fire complex is expected to produce an active
smoke plume today. Transport winds oriented from southwest to
northeast will continue to carry smoke toward the northeast... but
the plume will be shifted slightly farther west than was the case
on Saturday.
Air quality will remain extremely variable across portions of
western... central and northern New Mexico. Areas immediately
northeast of the fire complex will be most significantly
impacted... including but not limited to the communities of
Quemado... Quemado Lake... Magdalena... Alamo... Acoma Pueblo...
Grants... and Cuba. Farther east... impacts will not be as
significant as Saturday but they are expected to increase during
the evening and into early Sunday as transport winds become more
westerly.
In addition to smoke impacts... areas of blowing dust will develop
across portions of area this afternoon and evening further impacting
visibility and air quality.
Remember... your eyes are your best tools to determine if it is
safe to be outdoors. If heavy smoke is present... outdoor
activities should be minimized. Remember... your eyes are your best
tools to determine if it is safe to be outside. If visibility is
ten miles or higher... the air quality is good... six to nine
miles... air quality is moderate... three to five miles... air
quality is unhealthy for sensitive people... one and a half to two
and a half miles... air quality is unhealthy... one to one and a
quarter miles... air quality is very unhealthy... and three
quarters of a mile or less... air quality is hazardous.
Kj
1030 PM MDT Fri may 26 2012
The following message is transmitted at the request of the New Mexico
department of health and the New Mexico environment department.
The Whitewater Baldy fire complex is expected to produce an active
smoke plume over the next several days. Transport winds have
shifted and are now directed from southwest to northeast over the
region. This general direction of smoke transport will persist through
late Saturday before transport winds shift back to more of a west
to east orientation.
Areas of smoke anticipated across portions of western... central
and northern New Mexico will result in deteriorating air quality.
Areas immediately east and northeast of the fire complex will be
most significantly impacted... including but not limited to the
communities of Quemado... Quemado Lake... Magdalena... Alamo and the
Acoma Pueblo. Farther downstream... smoke impacts will expand to include
areas along the Rio Grande Valley from Socorro to Belen to Albuquerque
as well as Los Alamos... White Rock and the Santa Fe Metro area.
In addition to smoke impacts... areas of blowing dust are likely
across portions of area later today and especially on Saturday
further impacting visibility and air quality.
If heavy smoke is present... outdoor activities should be minimized.
Remember... your eyes are your best tools to determine if it is safe
to be outside. If visibility is ten miles or higher... the air
quality is good... six to nine miles... air quality is moderate... three
to five miles... air quality is unhealthy for sensitive people... one
and a half to two and a half miles... air quality is unhealthy...
one to one and a quarter miles... air quality is very unhealthy...
and three quarters of a mile or less... air quality is hazardous.
