When We Can Expect The Post Fire Smoke To Clear

Ash fell from the sky and the sun shone red this weekend as familiar wildfire conditions returned to Southern California, tanking air quality and making it dangerous to breathe outside.

As of midday Monday, the Post Fire was still burning out of control. Fire crews from Ventura, L.A. and the Forest Service trekked up hillsides to set back burns as aircraft dropped fire retardant and water in an effort to establish a perimeter to keep the fire from spreading. That proved to be exceedingly difficult, given the strong winds driving the blaze.

U.S. Forest Service firefighters stand watch as the Post Fire burns through Castaic, California, June 16, 2024.

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David Swanson

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AFP

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Those in the L.A. basin got a bit of a reprieve from the terrible air as wind shifted onshore, keeping the smoke from floating south. However, the clear-ish air is likely to be short lived as strong winds are expected to pick back up Monday night into Tuesday, amplifying the fire and sending the smoke right back towards us. An air quality advisory has been issued and a red flag warning will be in place until Tuesday night, as 60 mph wind gusts could hit.

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There's a good chance the smoke will abate in the coming days as conditions cool and winds die down heading into Wednesday, giving firefighters a chance to get things under control. The fire's primarily consuming small shrubs and grass, which burns hot and fast, so if it stalls, the fuel could get used up quickly.

"By the end of the week they'll probably have full containment if they can get those winds to shut down," said Capt. Sheila Kelliher Berkoh, public information officer with L.A. County Fire. As of Monday, it didn't seem as if the fire was heading towards any landscapes with densely packed fuel.

Looking forward to the weekend, temperatures are expected to rise into the triple digits in some locations, raising the fire risk once again.

Larger shrubs and trees are still holding on to moisture and putting out new growth, so they're not as susceptible to wildfire as fast-drying grass is — though, the big stuff gets drier with each extreme heat day. That's why in Southern California, large fires generally occur in the fall. By then, our landscapes have dried out and relentless Santa Ana winds can turn any little spark into a mega blaze.

If you can smell wildfire smoke and/or see ash falling from the sky, stay inside. It can have all sorts of devastating effects on people's health. Not only can it exacerbate asthma and COPD, but it can raise the risk of stroke as well.

Here's how you can minimize your exposure when things get really bad.