LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – While smoke has continued to pour into Lake County from wildland fires in Colusa and Mendocino counties, conditions are expected be better on Friday, air quality officials reported.

The smoke Lake County residents have seen in the air this week is coming from the 16 Complex in Colusa County and the North Pass Fires in Mendocino County.

The Lake County Air Quality Management District issued a Thursday afternoon report explaining that weather forecasts indicate favorable conditions should continue to push smoke away from the Lake County air basin. However, settling of smoke into the basin is likely and could result in intermittent air quality degradation.

Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said air quality conditions were significantly better than forecast for Thursday, due primarily to better meteorological conditions that are anticipated.

Areas close to the fires experienced some degradation of air quality Thursday, but most areas of the Lake County experienced good to moderate air quality, Gearhart said. Levels of ozone and particulate were elevated, but did not exceed state health-based air quality standards.

Gearhart said the prediction for Friday is for “good “ to “moderate” air quality in Lake County. The Northshore, Clearlake and the county’s southeastern portions could see more impact.

Smoke impacts are most likely to occur during the early morning hours through midday Friday, Gearhart said.

At times on Friday, areas of the county could experience “ unhealthy” air quality levels as smoke settles into the basin, he said.