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Smoke from fires elsewhere in California hung over Nevada County Monday and could continue this week, while fires are possible in eastern Nevada County as winds mix with heat and low humidity.
Five small fires in the eastern county were started by lightning strikes over the weekend, but were all extinguished Sunday on the eastern side of the Tahoe National Forest, forest spokesman Richard Goodwin said.
Smoke that moved into western Nevada County Monday came from Delta breezes that pushed it here from fires around Yosemite National Park. Fires also are burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the Plumas National Forest north of here, which could contribute to poor air quality.
Five engines from Higgins Fire, Nevada County Consolidated, Rough and Ready, Peardale-Chicago Park and Ophir Hill fire departments were dispatched Monday to fight fires in Shasta County, a dispatcher at the Grass Valley Interagency Command Center said.
Fires in Shasta County also were started by lightning fires, and about 1,500 acres have burned.
The National Weather Service in Sacramento predicts a chance for winds to push more smoke into Nevada County from residual Northern California forest fires.
Nevertheless, western Nevada County is expected to see largely pleasant weather this week, with highs in the low to mid-80s through Sunday, calm winds and clear to partly cloudy conditions. Night lows will be in the low to mid-50s, the National Weather Service forecast.
Wednesday night and Thursday will see a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the foothills, contributing to the overall fire danger in the northern Sierra.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Reno has issued a fire weather watch for the eastern slope of the Sierra and the Tahoe-Truckee area through tonight, as high winds are expected with gusts up to 35 mph.
None of the weekend fires in the eastern county grew larger than a quarter acre, Goodwin said. Two of the blazes were near Sierraville, one on Mt. Lola, another near Emigrant Gap and the last just northeast of French Meadows Reservoir — all caused by weekend lightning.
Whenever you can see or smell smoke from wildfires, it is advisable to curtail outdoor activity to short periods of time to avert breathing air with high particulate matter, according to the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District.
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail dmoller@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
Five small fires in the eastern county were started by lightning strikes over the weekend, but were all extinguished Sunday on the eastern side of the Tahoe National Forest, forest spokesman Richard Goodwin said.
Smoke that moved into western Nevada County Monday came from Delta breezes that pushed it here from fires around Yosemite National Park. Fires also are burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the Plumas National Forest north of here, which could contribute to poor air quality.
Five engines from Higgins Fire, Nevada County Consolidated, Rough and Ready, Peardale-Chicago Park and Ophir Hill fire departments were dispatched Monday to fight fires in Shasta County, a dispatcher at the Grass Valley Interagency Command Center said.
Fires in Shasta County also were started by lightning fires, and about 1,500 acres have burned.
The National Weather Service in Sacramento predicts a chance for winds to push more smoke into Nevada County from residual Northern California forest fires.
Nevertheless, western Nevada County is expected to see largely pleasant weather this week, with highs in the low to mid-80s through Sunday, calm winds and clear to partly cloudy conditions. Night lows will be in the low to mid-50s, the National Weather Service forecast.
Wednesday night and Thursday will see a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the foothills, contributing to the overall fire danger in the northern Sierra.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Reno has issued a fire weather watch for the eastern slope of the Sierra and the Tahoe-Truckee area through tonight, as high winds are expected with gusts up to 35 mph.
None of the weekend fires in the eastern county grew larger than a quarter acre, Goodwin said. Two of the blazes were near Sierraville, one on Mt. Lola, another near Emigrant Gap and the last just northeast of French Meadows Reservoir — all caused by weekend lightning.
Whenever you can see or smell smoke from wildfires, it is advisable to curtail outdoor activity to short periods of time to avert breathing air with high particulate matter, according to the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District.
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail dmoller@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
