Smoky air eases Sunday in Sonoma County but expected to worsen Monday

Sonoma County's air got a bit cleaner Sunday, as wind blew away some of the smoke from the Camp fire 100 miles away in Butte County, but it's expected to be fouled again Monday.

It's a case of “out with the old, in with the new,” said Kristine Roselius of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

The smoke casting a pall over Sonoma County was “old smoke” that quickly blanketed the Bay Area on Thursday, when the fire - now the most destructive blaze in state history - erupted, she said. It had been trapped by an inversion layer since then, Roselius said Sunday.

As nature pushes it away, “new smoke” will move in from the Central Valley, she said.

Old and new smoke are equally harmful, and the Bay Area district continues to recommend that people who smell smoke should stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed, Roselius said.

Air quality for Sonoma County and the entire Bay Area is officially listed as “unhealthy for sensitive groups” through Thursday, meaning active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease such as asthma, should limit outdoor exertion.