Orange County remained largely free of smoke from wildfires burning to the north and west, according to the region’s smog regulators, and forecasters say we can expect about the same tomorrow.

But even though air-quality monitoring equipment does not show significant smoke influence here, some smoke could be drifting our way, said Sam Atwood, spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

“The monitors are not really picking up any strong impacts from this wildfire,” he said. “Still, people need to use common sense. If you are close to the source of a fire, or see smoke or smell smoke, that is a sure sign the air is not healthy to breathe, and not to be running around outdoors.”

A mild wind flowing onshore from the south is helping push smoke to the north, and should continue doing so Saturday, said National Weather Service forecaster Stan Wasowski.

On Saturday, most areas north and east of Orange County will likely have unhealthy air quality, Atwood said, in part because of ozone pollution and in part because of smoke from wildfires.

But Orange County’s air should mostly remain in the ‘moderate’ range, he said. For updates see the agency’s air quality map.

Suki Reed, president of the O.C. Hiking Club and also an O.C. Register contributor, said at least two hikes planned in Los Angeles County had been canceled Friday afternoon, but so far none has been canceled in Orange County.

(AP photo showing plane making retardant drop on a fire north of La Cañada Flintridge by Nick Ut.)

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