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The Navajo Nation EPA - AQCP/OPP has been closely monitoring the current wildfires in Northern Arizona area. The Navajo Nation EPA - AQCP recommends viewing the fact sheets and contacting our program for any other additional information’s. For more information about health and safety during a fire please contact us at (928) 729-4246 or email us at nnepanilchi@navajo.org.

Additional Information or Updates to Visit on local Wildfires:

Arizona Interagency Wildfire Prevention and Information Website

Arizona Emergency Infomation Network

InciWeb - Incident Information System

New Mexico Fire Information 

Apace County Arizona

Arizona Department of Health

Smoke Plume

National Weather Service Weather Forecast - ABQ, NM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alamo, NM Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM2.5) Data converted to Air Quality Index (AQI):

June 18, 2011 to July 13, 2011

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM 2.5 was exceeded but is a 24 hour average. The NAAQS for PM 2.5 for 24-hour average is 35 µg/m³.  The highest concentration occurred at 66.00 µg/m³ on June 19, 2011; this value does exceed the NAAQS for 24 hour average. This chart is to illustrate there are two high spikes that occurred, which exceeds the 24 hour average.  The 3-hour average result has been converted to Air Quality Index compatible value which is noted below.           

          

The majority of the Air Quality Index (AQI) values for the Alamo, NM monitoring site remained within the range that is designated as “Good” and “Moderate” for levels of health concern. Air quality in the range labeled, “Good,” is considered satisfactory, and poses little to no risk for air pollution. However, there were a few data point that exceeded the “Good” and into “Moderate.  “Moderate” is defined as, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.  Two data point resulted within the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Group”.  One point on July 19, 2011 had 118.00 and the other on June 18, 2011 with 97.00.  “Unhealthy for Sensitive Group” is reflected that people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. One data point exceeded into the “Unhealthy” average on June 19, 2011 with 151.00 concentration of AQI.  “Unhealthy” is a level where, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.    

 

Ramah, NM Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM2.5) Data converted to Air Quality Index (AQI):

June 20, 2011 to July 5, 2011

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM 2.5 has not been exceeded. The NAAQS for PM 2.5 for 24-hour average is 35 µg/m³.  The highest concentration occurred at 15.67 µg/m³ on June 23, 2011; this value does exceed the NAAQS for 24 hour average. This chart is to illustrate there was some high spikes that occurred, but did not exceeds the 24 hour average.  The 3-hour average result has been converted to Air Quality Index compatible value which is noted below.           

The majority of the Air Quality Index (AQI) values for the Ramah, NM monitoring site remained within the range that is designated as “Good” for levels of health concern. Air quality in the range labeled, “Good,” is considered satisfactory, and poses little to no risk for air pollution. However, three data point surpassed the threshold for “Good” air quality and resulted within “Moderate” AQI range. The AQI value calculated for June 23, 2011, was 40 and 51; and July 4, 2011, was 40, which placed the air quality for these two days into the “Moderate” range. “Moderate” cautionary statement is that unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.

 

For Additional information please refer to the USEPA – AIRNow website. http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi

Alamo, NM Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM2.5) Data converted to Air Quality Index (AQI):
June 12, 2011 to June 18, 2011

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM 2.5 has not been exceeded. The NAAQS for PM 2.5 for 24-hour average is 35 µg/m³.  The highest concentration occurred at 67.00 µg/m³ on June 17, 2011; this value does exceed the NAAQS for 24 hour average. This chart is to illustrate there are five high spikes that occurred, which exceeds the 24 hour average.  The 3-hour average result has been converted to Air Quality Index compatible value which is noted below.           

The majority of the Air Quality Index (AQI) values for the Alamo, NM monitoring site remained within the range that is designated as “Good” for levels of health concern. Air quality in the range labeled, “Good,” is considered satisfactory, and poses little to no risk for air pollution. However, four data point surpassed the threshold for “Good” air quality. The AQI value calculated for June 17, 2011, was 67, as the highest spike, which placed the air quality for this day into the “Moderate” range. Along with two values at 44, and one at 42 AQI values.

 

Ramah, NM Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM2.5) Data converted to Air Quality Index (AQI):
June 12, 2011 to June 20, 2011

    

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM 2.5 has not been exceeded. The NAAQS for PM 2.5 for 24-hour average is 35 µg/m³.  The highest concentration occurred at 35 µg/m³ on June 12, 2011; this value does exceed the NAAQS for 24 hour average. This chart is to illustrate there was one high spikes that occurred, but did not exceeds the 24 hour average.  The 3-hour average result has been converted to Air Quality Index compatible value which is noted below.           

The majority of the Air Quality Index (AQI) values for the Alamo, NM monitoring site remained within the range that is designated as “Good” for levels of health concern. Air quality in the range labeled, “Good,” is considered satisfactory, and poses little to no risk for air pollution. However, four data point surpassed the threshold for “Good” air quality. The AQI value calculated for June 17, 2011, was 67, as the highest spike, which placed the air quality for this day into the “Moderate” range. Along with two values at 44, and one at 42 AQI values.

These 1- and 8- hour PM 2.5 levels are estimated using the 24- hour breakpoints of the PM 2.5 Air Quality Index http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi  and were taken from the Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials, revised July 2008 posted by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resource Board (accessed at http://www.arb.ca.gov/smp/progdev/pubeduc/wfgv8.pdf ).

Alamo, NM Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM2.5) Data converted to Air Quality Index (AQI):
June 19, 2011 to July 13, 2011

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM 2.5 has not been exceeded. The NAAQS for PM 2.5 for 24-hour average is 35 µg/m³.  The highest concentration occurred at 25.75 µg/m³ on June 19, 2011; this value does exceed the NAAQS for 24 hour average. This chart is to illustrate there were no high spikes that occurred, which exceeds the 24 hour average. 

 

The majority of the Air Quality Index (AQI) values for the Alamo, NM monitoring site remained within the range that is designated as “Moderate” for levels of health concern. “Moderate” is defined, as unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.  Air quality in the range labeled, “Good,” is considered satisfactory, and poses little to no risk for air pollution, which there are nine data points.  However, two data point surpassed the threshold for “Moderate” air quality. The AQI value calculated for June 20, 2011, was 44, as the highest spike; and on July 4, 2011, was 39, which placed the air quality for this day into the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” range. “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” is where people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.  One data point exceeded “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” and went into the “Unhealthy” AQI level range.  June 19, 2011 had 76 as the highest spike point, where people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

Ramah, NM Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM2.5) Data converted to Air Quality Index (AQI):
June 21, 2011 to July 5, 2011

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM 2.5 has not been exceeded. The NAAQS for PM 2.5 for 24-hour average is 35 µg/m³.  The highest concentration occurred at 6.08 µg/m³ on June 24, 2011; this value does exceed the NAAQS for 24 hour average. This chart is to illustrate there was one high spikes that occurred, but did not exceeds the 24 hour average. 

The majority of the Air Quality Index (AQI) values for the Ramah, NM monitoring site remained within the range that is designated as “Good” for levels of health concern. Air quality in the range labeled, “Good,” is considered satisfactory, and poses little to no risk for air pollution.

These 1- and 8- hour PM 2.5 levels are estimated using the 24- hour breakpoints of the PM 2.5 Air Quality Index http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi  and were taken from the Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials, revised July 2008 posted by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resource Board (accessed at http://www.arb.ca.gov/smp/progdev/pubeduc/wfgv8.pdf ).

 

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is divided into six levels of health concern: Good, Moderate, Un-healthy for Sensitive Groups, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, and Hazardous.

RESULTS: The majority of the Air Quality Index (AQI) values for the Fort Defiance monitoring site remained within the range that is designated as “Good” for levels of health concern. Air quality in the range labeled, “Good,” is considered satisfactory, and poses little to no risk for air pollution. However, one data point surpassed the threshold for “Good” air quality. The AQI value calculated for June 6, 2011, was 66, which placed the air quality for this day into the “Moderate” range.

 Below is a chart that defines the “Levels of Health Concerns” and the “Meaning”.

Air Quality Index (AQI) Values	Levels of Health Concern	Meaning
When the AQI is in this range:	…air quality conditions are:	…as symbolized by this color:
0 to 50	Good	Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk
50 to 100	Moderate	Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
101 to 150	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.
151 to 200	Unhealthy	Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
201 to 300	Very Unhealthy	Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects
301 to 500	Hazardous	Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

 

Health Advisories for Wildfires

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of small particles, gases and water vapor. The particles in smoke are a health concern because they can cause:

• Coughing
• A Scratchy throat
• Irritated sinuses
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Headaches
• Stinging eyes
• Runny nose
• Asthma complications

If you have heart or lung disease, smoke might make your symptoms worse.

• People with heart disease might experience:
• Chest pain
• Rapid heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue

• People who have pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as respiratory allergies, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in the following ways:
• Inability to breathe normally
• Cough with or without mucus
• Chest discomfort
• Wheezing and shortness of breath

 

• In general, if the atmosphere outdoors is smoky, it is best to stay indoors. Prohibit children from participating in outdoor activities. Children are more likely to be affected from health threats related to smoke because their airways are still developing, and their rate of breathing is higher compared to adults.

• Pay attention to local air quality reports.

 

• Use visibility guides.
• Face away from the sun when determining visibility range. Look at targets of known distances; the visibility range is the point at which even high contrast objects totally disappear.

 

Visibility in Miles	Air Quality Index	Health Category	Health Effects
10 or more	0-50	Good	None
5 – 10	51 – 100	Moderate	Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion
3-5	101 – 150	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.
1.5 – 3	151 – 200	Unhealthy	People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.
1 – 1.5	201 – 300	Very Unhealthy	People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid all physical activity outdoors. Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
1 or less	301 – 500	Hazardous	Everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors; people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should remain indoors and keep activity levels low.
Table for Determining Visibility Effects

• If you are advised to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot outside. Make sure that air conditioning units have a clean filter in the air intakes, and keep the fresh-air intakes closed whenever possible.
• Use a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter on your air conditioner to reduce indoor pollution and breathing problems. Reduce or limit use of swamp coolers when smoke levels increase because swamp coolers will pull outdoor smoke into your home.
• Do not add to indoor air pollution. Be careful not to use anything that burns, such as: wood fireplaces, gas logs, gas stoves, or even candles. Do not use your vacuum cleaner because vacuuming will stir up the particles that are already inside your home. Do not smoke, as this will add to the pollution inside your lungs, and in the lungs of other people around you.
• People with asthma or lung disease should exercise special precaution.  Follow your respiratory management plan and your doctor’s advice on medicine. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.

• Not just any ordinary dust mask will provide protection. Common masks found at hardware stores, such as dust masks, are designed to filter out large particles, such as sawdust; these mask types will not protect your lungs from the smaller particles found in smoke. Instead, use HEPA masks because they filter out small particles. However, HEPA masks may not be suitable for people with lung diseases.

 

Update of Arizona Wildfires:

 

Wallow Fire (Zone 3):	Wallow Fire (Total):
Location: eastside of Fort Apache and San Carlos Reservations, Apache and Graham Counties, AZ	Location: Apache, Navajo, Graham, and Greenlee Counties, AZ
Personnel: 1,048 including overhead support	Date Started: 05/29/2011
Crews: 4 Hotshot crews, 17 hand crews	Cause: Human – under investigation
Equipment: 33 engines, 4 dozers, 18 water tenders	Size:  519,319 acres  (Rodeo-Chediski: 468,638 ac)
Aircraft: 3 heavy, 2 medium, and 2 light helicopter	Percent Contained: 51%
3 single engine air tankers	Total Personnel: 3,531
Size: San Carlos Reservation – 9,200 acres           Fort Apache Reservation - 12,972 acres

As of july 9, 2011

Cause	Human-under investigation
Size	538,049 acres total, 15407 acres in N.M
Percent Contained	95%
Injuries to date	16
Residences	32 destroyed, 5 damaged
Commercial Property	4 destroyed
Outbuildings	36 destroyed, 1 damaged

Monument Fire Update June 20, 2011

What: Monument Fire Started: Reported June 12, 2011 at 1 p.m. Location: Palominas Fire District, in the Huachuca Mountains Jurisdiction: Coronado National Memorial/Coronado National Forest Cooperating Agencies: Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Cochise County, Border Patrol, AZ State, Local Fire Departments A Joint Information Center is open from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Please call (800)288-3861 Current size: 26,980 acres Containment: 27% Resources on Fire: There are 1,097 people assigned to the fire, including 22 crews, 108 engines, 9 helicopters, 10 Air Tankers and 4 Dozers.

Monument Fire

Special Messages: A fire information meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 20th at 6:00 p.m. at the Buena Performing Arts Center at 5225 Buena School Blvd. in Sierra Vista.Fire information bulletin boards will be set up at the Incident Command Center at Valley View Elementary, the food court at the Sierra Vista Mall, and the Jumping Jack convenience store on Highway 92 in Palominas. The Coronado National Forest is closed to all visitors. Those traveling along Highway 92 should be aware of the increased fire traffic and possible closures. All evacuation orders remain in place. For up-to-date evacuation information, please call the fire's Joint Information Center at 1-800-288-3861.

Fire Information Incident Command Center: (520) 366-0760 or (520) 366-0761 Hours: 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. Joint Information Center: (800)288-3861 Hours: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Evacuation Information, Cochise County Sheriff: (520) 432-9500 Walk-in Information Center @ Windemere Hotel Conference Center Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Southwest Coordination Center: Obtain the appropriate Dispatch Center link http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/admin/contact_us/report_a_fire_files/report_a_fire.htm

MONUMENT FIRE
As of JULY 6TH 2011
98% contained

Horseshoe Two Update June 19, 2011

Fire Facts: Date started: May 8, 2011 Location:        Portal, Arizona Size:                210,331 acres Percent Contained: 75% Cause: Human Estimated Containment:       June 22, 2011 Total structures destroyed: 23

Horseshoe Two

Number of Personnel: 1,284 Crews: 4 Type 1 and 28 Type 2 Engines: 65 Dozers: 2 Water Tenders: 40 Helicopters: 3 Type 1, 1 Type 2 and 3 Type 3 Cost to Date: $44,412,804

Special Notice The Coronado National Forest and Chiricahua National Monument remain closed to the public.

More information at: http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

HORSESHOE 2 FIRE: As of july 12, 2011
Percent contained 100%
Containment date june 25, 2011

WASH FIRE
As of june 30, 2011

total personnel	151
Size	1,955 acres
Percent Contained`	100%
Estimated Containment Date	June 29th 2011
Fuels Involved	Grass, Pinon, Juniper

 

WILLOW FIRE: As of July 11, 2011

Total Personnel	292
Soze	213 acres
Percent contained	100%
Estimated Containment Date	June 30th 2011
Fuels Involved	Timber. Mixed conifer, Ponderosa pine, Grass
Fire Behavior	little to no fire activity has been observed
Significant Events	Crews continue mop-up

STANLEY FIRE: AS of july 4th 2011    

Total Personnel	50
Size	8,782 acres
Percent Contained	80%
Estimated Containment Date	July 10 2011
Fuels Involved	Grass, Juniper, Pinon, Manaznita brush
Fire Behavior	Single Tree torching and backing surface fire
Significant Events	Rapp Type 2 IMT will transition with Dennis Logan Type 3 IC at 0600 4th

Update of New Mexico Wildfires:

LOS CONCHAS WILDFIRE: AS OF JULY 13, 2011
Total Personnel 1,208
Size 150,041 acres
Percent Contained 57%

Pacheco wildfire: As of 7/12/2011

Total Personnel	40
Size	250
Percent Contained	80%
Fuels Involved	Timber, mixed conifer
Significant events	Moderate Rainfall on 7/11

Donaldson Fire: As of 7/7/2011

Total Personnel	216
Size	101,563 acres
Percent Contained	95%
Estimated Containment Date	July 8th 2011
Fuels Involved	Tall Grass
Fire Behavior	Isolated torching in interior islands

Links of Interest for the Arizona fires

• Arizona Emergency Information Network - www.azein.gov/azein/default.aspx
• Arizona Department of Environmental Quality - Portable Particulate Monitors - www.phoenixvis.net/PPMmain.aspx
• Incident Information System - www.inciweb.org
• U.S.F - Coconino National Forest - www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/conditions/index.shtml
  • Coconino Twitter Page - twitter.com/CoconinoNF
• Coconino County - http://www.coconino.az.gov/
• Coconino County Twitter Page - twitter.com/coconinocounty
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - www.noaa.gov
• Navajo Nation Broadcast Services - www.obs.navajo.org
• Navajo Nation Emergency Medical Services - www.navajoems.navajo.org
• Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue - www.firerescue.navajo.org
• Navajo Department Of Transportation - www.navajodot.org
• Arizona Department Of Transportation - www.azdot.gov
  • Arizona Department Of Transportation Twitter Page - www.twitter.com/ArizonaDOT
• Arizona Department of Health Services - www.azdhs.gov