SMOKE & AIR QUALITY SAFETY PROTOCOL

Unfortunately, over the past decade an increase in wildfires has led to a number of events being impacted by smoke and poor air quality. Smoke and air quality is an extremely difficult thing to monitor and conditions can change in an instant. This protocol is designed to guide staff and volunteers when dealing with air quality issues impacting an event.

 

Advance Cancellations:

In general, we will make any decisions regarding canceling any event on the actual day of play to evaluate conditions in real-time. Because wind-shifts and conditions can change drastically in a short period of time we want to make sure we make the decision based on what is happening that day. Any player looking to withdraw due to reasonable concerns about the air quality will be allowed to do so with a refund.

In some cases, wind forecasts and local conditions are consistent enough to be able to inform players of the situation and cancel an event in advance. When possible, this should be done to help avoid players incurring unnecessary travel and cancellation costs.

 

Monitoring AQI:

There are a number of different sites and even different scales that monitor air quality. NCGA staff will primarily use airnow.gov which is the site from the EPA, but in many cases a site called Purple Air provides more up-to-date real-time readings and has been very accurate in remote areas. A combination of the two sites and on-site conditions will be used to make decisions regarding events.

 

AQI Levels:

Following the recommendations of the AQI scale itself and other sports organizations like the NCAA, AQI starts becoming a concern when it reaches levels above 150.

• If it is known in advance that the AQI may reach 150 or higher, two 9-hole rounds will be implemented by the Committee/Staff to give the event the best chance of completing a round for qualifying or championship purposes.
• If the AQI reached 150 – 175 and the conditions on site are not very smokey, play may continue with careful monitoring.
• If the AQI reaches 150 or higher and the conditions on site are extremely smokey or has large amounts of ash for any length of time, the round should be canceled or postponed.
• If the AQI reaches 175 or higher and groups have more than 4 holes to complete, play should be stopped for a non-dangerous situation. Players should be given the opportunity to go inside, until conditions return to acceptable levels. If less than 4 holes are left, unless smokiness or ash on site warrant stopping play immediately, play may continue to complete the round.
• If the AQI reaches 200 or above, play should be stopped immediately. A non-dangerous suspension may be used to avoid rules complications for healthy players who wish to finish a hole.