The Merced County tire fire poses an air quality concern for farm communities near Ballico and downwind. Weather trapped heavy smoke close to the ground, increasing the risk of exposure around nearby farms and agricultural areas.
About 9,000 tons of outdoor tire-storage material were burning as of Aug. 24. Merced County warned that active burning could continue for an extended period.
Table of Contents
- Where the smoke is spreading
- Who should limit outdoor exposure
- What residents and workers can do
- What air monitoring can—and cannot—show
Where the smoke is spreading
The fire started at a tire-recycling facility in the 13000 block of Newport Road in Ballico. Smoke did not remain confined to the immediate fire site because weather conditions held it near ground level. On Aug.
27, ABC30 reported that smoke from the still-burning facility had reached surrounding agricultural areas and nearby farms. Conditions can differ by location, so residents should pay attention to smoke, haze and burning-rubber odors where they live or work. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Quality Alert for Merced County. The district and county agencies were assessing the effects and monitoring conditions.
Who should limit outdoor exposure
Farmworkers are especially relevant because many cannot avoid outdoor work when smoke moves through agricultural areas. Merced County advised outdoor workers who cannot limit exposure to wear properly fitted N95 masks. Children, older adults, pregnant people and people with heart or lung conditions should strictly limit outdoor exposure during smoky conditions.
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Schools should move physical activities indoors or cancel them when smoke is detectable. Workers and families should base immediate decisions on conditions around them. Visible haze, smoke odors or the smell of burning rubber are reasons to reduce exposure even without a nearby monitor reading.
What residents and workers can do
When smoke or haze reaches a home, school or workplace, the county recommends reducing contact with outdoor air. These precautions matter while burning continues and smoke remains detectable. Sensitive people should follow the stricter advice to limit outdoor exposure rather than relying only on a mask.
- Stay indoors when possible.
- Close windows and doors.
- Set heating or air-conditioning systems to recirculate indoor air.
- Use air filtration when available.
- Wear a properly fitted N95 if outdoor work cannot be avoided.
What air monitoring can—and cannot—show
Community-specific exposure levels were not yet established in the public record. Temporary monitors for PM2.5—fine airborne particles—were still being deployed, and existing county sensors do not cover every part of Merced County.
That gap means a reading from a distant monitor may not describe conditions at a particular farm, home or school. Merced County instructed residents to treat visible haze and the smell of smoke or burning rubber as signs of poor air quality. If those signs appear, residents should close the building, recirculate indoor air and use available filtration rather than waiting for a community-specific measurement.
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