Air quality in certain Central Coastal areas was expected to worsen on Saturday, according to the Air Quality Index.
The air quality is measured on a scale of 0 to 500, with 500 being the most hazardous.
By Saturday morning, San Luis Obispo was rated an 85, or “moderate,” meaning people who are sensitive to pollution are advised to take special precautions such as avoiding prolonged or heavy exertion.
The air quality forecast for the San Luis Obispo area predicts air quality will worsen to “unhealthy” status later Saturday, resulting in what’s called an Action Day.
Action Days are called when air quality reaches unhealthy ranges, which can have health impacts on everyone.
Air quality in Atascadero, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, and Santa Maria was rated as “good” on Saturday morning. But Santa Maria and Paso Robles were also expected to climb into the moderate zone by Saturday evening.
Nipomo, Goleta and Santa Barbara all have a moderate rating.
For reference, the air quality is rated a 257 which is extremely unhealthy in Butte County where the Camp Fire is burning. It was expected to reach hazardous levels later Saturday.
