The Bay Area Air District issued an air quality advisory for parts of Contra Costa and Solano counties due to flaring at the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond over the weekend, the district said.Â
Localized smoke impacts are possible near and downwind of the facility, the Air District said, including the cities of Richmond, San Pablo, Pinole and Hercules, as well as Solano County.
Inspectors are at the site, the Air District said Saturday evening.Â
Smoke from flaring contains fine particulate matter and other harmful pollutants. If possible and if temperatures allow it, residents are advised to stay inside with doors and windows closed until smoke levels subside. People in vehicles should set their car ventilation systems to re-circulate to prevent outside air from coming inside the vehicle.
To monitor the investigation and advisory, go to www.baaqmd.gov.Â
Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.
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