 Police seek answers in fatal Palolo house fire
By Robbie Dingeman
and Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writers
If this year’s New Year’s celebration appeared less smoky than in years past, that’s because it was.
Smoke monitors set up by the state Department of Health’s Clear Air Branch and a company that measures smoke particles confirm that this year’s celebration had better air quality than in years past.
Wilfred Nagamine, the manager of the Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch, said that air measurements at six air monitoring sites — four on O‘ahu and two on Maui — showed that except for its Pearl City location, the 24-hour readings of Dec. 31, 2000, and Jan. 1, 2001, had readings well below the state limit of 150 micrograms of particles per cubic meter.
However, the air quality at Pearl City for the 24-hour periods of Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 were 154 and 167 micrograms per cubic meter.
"Visually, it was not as bad as the previous year, even though it still got pretty hazy in the Pearl City, Kaimuki and Kalihi areas," Nagamine said.
Oceanit, a local engineering, science and research company, said data from its dust monitors also indicated there was less smoke.
The company has conducted air-quality monitoring at various construction sites for five years. It reported that one monitor, which has been at an ‘Ewa site for three years, showed a significant decrease in smoke concentrations on this past New Year’s Eve.
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