Chimney Sweep

Wildfire smoke chokes Bay Space, creating worst air high quality on the earth

Wildfire smoke cast a hazy red sky over the Bay Area on Wednesday, creating a seriously unhealthy atmosphere and adding to pandemic fear in the area. Ash fell over many counties. Children who were excluded from school were locked inside. Families evacuated homes.

Atmospheric tests showed that the air quality in Northern California is the worst in the world.

Smoke from multiple fires polluted the air, again causing concern among residents with respiratory illnesses, including those suffering from COVID-19.

“Someone who is already coughing or struggling with shortness of breath is the worst they can do when exposed to the particulate matter from the smoke,” said Tom Dailey, chief of pulmonary medicine at Kaiser’s Santa Clara Medical Center.

“It’s not just the smoke, we’re in the middle of a heatwave,” said Dailey. “It’s like closing a pot of boiling water. It keeps the pollutants close to the ground. “

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District authorities issued a spare the air alert by Sunday, advising Bay Area residents to stay indoors with the windows and doors closed, if possible, until the smoke subsides.

“Air quality will be very poor for the foreseeable future due to the rapid spread of fires and stagnant air mass,” tweeted the Bay Area branch of the National Weather Service.

Cal Fire fought a series of angry, complex fires that defied even partial containment, Governor Gavin Newsom said at a news conference.

By far the largest fires were the LNU Lightning Complex fires in Napa, Lake, Sonoma, and Solano counties – which exploded from 46,000 acres to 124,000 acres at dusk, burning down homes in Berryessa and Vacaville, and skipping Interstate 80 and homes in Fairfield threatened. It was 0% included.

The SCU Lightning Complex burned 85,000 acres in Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties and was 5% contained.

The fires of the CZU complex, which burned in the districts of San Mateo and Santa Cruz, consumed 10,000 hectares by Wednesday evening. They were included at 0%.

And there were many more.

“We thought we saw it all, and then 2020 is our meeting,” said Senator Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg. “You have always said that Mother Nature can really make a difference. She hits back pretty hard at the moment. “

A house on Pleasant Valley Road in Vacaville, California is on fire when the fire breaks out at the LNU Lightning Complex on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. Video: Scott Strazzante The Chronicle

Of particular concern was the SCU Lightning Complex.

“The fire at the SCU Lightning Complex is still not remotely contained,” said Kristina Chu, acting communications manager for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. “That’s what causes the greatest amount of smoke in the Bay Area.”

The worst Bay Area air quality readings for particulate matter as of 1 p.m. were in Pleasanton, Livermore, Redwood City, Gilroy, San Jose, East Oakland, and downtown San Francisco, where air quality was classified as unhealthy.

The notice means that anyone with pre-existing respiratory problems should limit all outdoor activities. If you smell smoke, “go in, close the windows and doors, and make sure they’re sealed,” Chu said.

Although there is still no clear link to the effects of forest fire smoke on COVID-19 patients, experts can use research on smoking and air pollution to draw preliminary conclusions.

“Wildfire smoke is like tobacco smoke without nicotine,” said Dr. John Balmes, professor of medicine at UCSF and environmental health science at UC Berkeley. “It is a plant material that, when burned, produces carbon particles with unpleasant hydrocarbons that are toxic.”

As an example, he took the 2018 Camp Fire. This fire caused particulate matter known as PM2.5 particles to migrate from the northern part of the Central Valley to the Bay Area. A thick haze covered the region for weeks and closed schools and shops.

A chimney, chair, and charred trees are all that's left of a house on English Hills Road during the LNU Lightning Complex Fire in Vacaville, Calif. On Wednesday, August 19, 2020.A chimney, chair, and charred trees are all that’s left of a house on English Hills Road during the LNU Lightning Complex Fire in Vacaville, Calif. On Wednesday, August 19, 2020.Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Dailey encouraged anyone who had health problems related to the smoke to go to a hospital.

“The COVID epidemic has really prepared hospitals across the state for people with respiratory problems,” he said. “We don’t want that, but these hospitals are ready and prepared. People who have problems shouldn’t hesitate to come over and seek help. “

Experts say fabric coverings and surgical masks used to slow the spread of the coronavirus do not protect against forest fire smoke.

“Right now everyone is under a mask order for COVID,” said Chu. “However, any mask that is not N95 or higher will not protect you from PM2.5 particles from forest fire smoke.”

Even those with N95 masks should make an effort to avoid the smoke.

“I see people jogging in an N95 mask and they just don’t get it,” said Dailey. “That means 95% of the particles are kept out, but you are still inhaling 5% of them. We want people to stay inside. Don’t exercise. The masks are for those who cannot avoid being outside. “

San Francisco Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said there were no immediate plans to close the city’s outdoor testing facilities due to the current air quality, which fluctuated between “orange” and “red” throughout the day. A “red” label is considered unhealthy.

“Unless someone has a particular need to be tested, this may not be the week to do so,” said Dailey.

The Chronicle’s authors, Kate Galbraith, Kellie Hwang, and Dominic Fracassa, contributed to this report.

Aidin Vaziri is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com

Air quality index: www.airnow.gov/aqi

Spare the Air: www.sparethair.org

The Chronicle’s air quality tracker: https://projects.sfchronicle.com/trackers/california-fire-map/air-quality

AirNow: www.airnow.gov

CDC Rauch FAQ: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/smoke-faq.html

The fire map and the chronicle tracker: https://projects.sfchronicle.com/trackers/california-fire-map

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