School was closed on Nov. 14 due to poor air quality, which “spiked overnight,” according to an email sent out by the school at 6:57 a.m. that morning.
According to head of high school Brooke Wells, the administration met at 6:30 a.m. through email and text to discuss how to proceed, and head of school Lee Thomsen decided to close the school by 6:45 a.m. Students and parents were notified about the change via email, phone call and text.
The deterioration in air quality was from wildfires still burning at both ends of the state: the Camp Fire near Chico and the Woolsey Fire near Los Angeles.
Sacramento is sandwiched between the two fires. According to AirNow, the current air quality index (AQI) in Sacramento as of 9 a.m. was 188, which is in the “unhealthy” range of 151-200.
“Everyone may begin to experience health effects (in this range); members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects,” the website said.
Meanwhile, current AQI as of 9 a.m. leapt to a “very unhealthy” 249 in Arden Arcade.
AirNow’s forecast estimates that Sacramento’s index will drop to 164 tomorrow, although this is still considered “unhealthy.”
Check back later for more details.
—By Mohini Rye
