Air quality advisory issued for Novato due to landfill fire
(KRON) — An air quality advisory has been issued for the Novato area by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District after firefighters contained a fire at the Waste Management’s Redwood Landfill on Tuesday morning.
The Novato Police Department said in an advisory that the small fire was contained at 5:49 a.m., and smoke was “drifting throughout Novato.” The Novato Fire Protection District remains on scene, police said.
Air quality officials are advising the public in the area to stay inside with windows and doors closed, if possible, until the smoke levels subside. The smoke “will continue to impact the community until the fire is out and winds increase later this afternoon,” BAAQMD said.
Other ways to mitigate exposure are setting car ventilation systems to recirculate air and using indoor air filtration, officials said.
“Elderly persons, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure,” BAAQMD said.
Real-time smoke pollution levels can be checked on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website.