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PUBLIC INFORMATION UPDATE San Joaquin County October 29, 1998 Immediate Release Contact: Karen Furst, M.D., Health Officer TRACY TIRE FIRE- GENERAL INFORMATION • Monitoring for smoke constituents continues to be performed by the Air Resources Board in the area adjacent to the Tracy tire fire site. The monitoring indicates that overall, particulate levels are what would be expected for this time of year; however, there are periods of time when the weather conditions allow the smoke from the tire fire and agricultural fires to be at ground level. • According to the Air Pollution Control District and the Air Resources Board, seasonal changes in the weather pattern for this region cause temperature inversion to form. The temperature inversions lead to an increase in ground level smoke in the area. So at times the smoke can be detected in Tracy neighborhoods near the fire. This tends to occur during the night and early morning hours, but may occasionally occur at other times of the day. • In addition, according to the Air Resources Board, during this time of year there is an increase in particulate matter in the atmosphere overall in the San Joaquin Valley. This is due to a combination of motor vehicle exhaust, agricultural fires, occasional grass fires, the tire fire and some use of fireplaces. The increased particulate matter in the atmosphere combined with moisture in the air is the cause of the recent haziness. • While many people experience symptoms this time of year from the increased pollution, smoke from the fires may also cause symptoms such as sore, scratchy throat, water eyes, or aggravation of other respiratory ailments such as asthma. When any smoke is visible or can be smelled, people are advised to stay indoors as much as possible and keep their doors and windows closed, or leave the area. In the neighborhoods near the tire fire is especially true at night when the temperature inversions are most likely to occur. • If you have any soot on your property it should be washed off of yard furniture, children's toys, etc., so young children will not ingest the soot.