Watching a deep orange sun crashing into the horizon may be a treat for the eyes, but its doing your lungs no favors.
Over the last few days, Hayfork and Hyampom are among the communities hammered by poor air quality.
“The biggest threat that we see from wildfires that we see regularly is particulate matter,” says Dave Clegern of the California Air Resources Board. He said small particles of burnt matter can travel long distances and also sweep past the body’s natural defenses, lodging deep in the lungs.
Clegern said dealing with smoke boils down to common sense. When it’s smoky, limit outdoor activity if possible. Run air through an air-conditioner or other air filtration device, preferably on recirculate. Keep windows shut. Drink plenty of fluids. If you have serious heart or lung problems already, try to find a friend or relative to stay with elsewhere until conditions improve.
If air quality gets really bad, use a damp washcloth over your face as a filter. Surgical masks with an N95 or P100 rating may also help.
Smokiness can vary wildly over short distances and can also change quickly. Geography and prevailing winds play a large role, but inversions and other anomalies can bring surprises.
“It really depends on where you are,” Clegern said. “This time of year we start seeing this kind of crazy quilt of fires in various locations under various conditions.”
Officials expect little change in air quality tomorrow. As for the weekend, it’s hard to tell.