A new weather system could bring enhanced fire danger to the Hamilton County area.
The advisory says:
ENHANCED FIRE DANGER WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND ACROSS EAST TENNESSEE..SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA... A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS SATURDAY MORNING.
SCATTERED SHOWERS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH LIGHT RAINFALL AMOUNTS. AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST AND INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. THE BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS WILL PULL DRY AIR BACK INTO THE REGION WITH AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES DROPPING INTO THE UPPER 20S TO UPPER 30S SATURDAY AND 20S AREA-WIDE FOR SUNDAY. THE BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS...DRY AIRMASS AND VERY DRY VEGETATION WILL PRODUCE ENHANCED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY. WILDFIRES WILL BE EASIER TO IGNITE AND MUCH HARDER TO CONTROL. RESIDENTS OF EAST TENNESSEE...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA NEED TO BE EXTRA VIGILANT THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND TO PREVENT WILDFIRES...DUE TO THE ENHANCED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD.
A Code Orange Air Quality Alert was also issued:
Saturday, Nov. 19, is forecast to be Code Orange Air Quality Alert at 101 for fine particles. Levels of pollution are forecast to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.
PEOPLE AT RISK:
- Children
- Teenagers
- Older adults
- People with heart or lung disease
- People with unusual susceptibility to air pollution
REDUCE EXPOSURE:
- Stay indoors with windows and doors closed
- Minimize outdoor activities, especially physical exertion during smoky conditions
- Keep the fresh air intake closed when running the heat and a/c
- Choose less strenuous outdoor activities away from wildfire smoke
- If possible, avoid areas where the wildfires are burning
- Monitor air quality conditions and sign up for air quality alerts at apcb.org