The state begins issuing smog alerts tomorrow, the first day of smog season. But Dawsonville was already one of four Georgia cities that recorded high concentrations of dirty air earlier this month.

"We haven't done the analysis yet, but we expect it was the high pressure system that caused the increase," said Susan Zimmer-Dauphinee, manager of the state's air monitoring program. "We think that was what was going on last week."

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division monitors ozone in Dawsonville at the Georgia Forestry complex, off Hwy. 53, using federally mandated monitoring equipment, Dauphinee said.

Georgia Forestry Chief Ranger Carolyn Sweatman said high levels of smog or ozone concentrations are not uncommon at the Dawsonville monitoring site. "We've seen high levels here before," she said.

The Dawsonville site also recorded high levels of ozone on the first day of May last year, according to Dauphinee. She said increased growth in the area and additional cars traveling on Ga. 400 could play a part in the high ozone concentration levels at the Dawsonville site.

Athens, Augusta and Macon also recorded high ozone levels last week, violating the new U.S. smog standard issued last month by the Environmental Protection Agency. The old standard limit was 86 parts per billion of ground-level ozone concentration; the new standard allows no more than 76 parts per billion. Dawsonville recorded 80 parts per billion.

"I think we'll see more accelerated levels, and earlier, because of the new standard," Dauphinee said.

EPD is responsible for measuring air pollutant levels throughout the state. When levels are expected to exceed federal air quality limits in the metro Atlanta region, The Clean Air Campaign e-mails a Smog Alert. More than 4,000 people in the Atlanta area have registered to receive Smog Alerts via e-mail.

Forecasts are also posted at cleanaircampaign.com each day at 2 p.m.

Individuals with respiratory and cardiac problems can experience distress and discomfort breathing, particularly during and on the days following Smog Alerts.

Smog season begins each year on May 1, the same day EPD's state burn ban begins.

During the summer months in Georgia, the ozone in the air can reach unhealthy levels. EPD has identified open burning as a significant contributor of the pollutants that form ozone.

"That's one of the reasons we have a burn ban, to cut down on the ozone in the summer months," Sweatman said.

The burn ban will remain in effect through Oct. 1, and limits almost all outside burning, apart from campfires, barbecue grills and other controlled fires.

E-mail Michele Hester at michele@dawsonnews.com.

Originally published Wednesday, April 30, 2008