Smothered in a thick, sooty blanket of toxic smoke, San Francisco’s air quality index jumped to a jaw-dropping 271 yesterday afternoon.
The map below shows the air quality in the Bay Area, the purple color showing areas with “very unhealthy air quality.”
Unfortunately, forecasters are projecting that residents in the Bay Area shouldn’t expect significant relief from the wildfire smoke-choked air until next week.
Here’s me yesterday afternoon wearing my respirator mask as I am out walking my dog. Wildfire smoke can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Hence, a lot of people in the area are wearing masks whenever they have to go outside.
The fire in Butte County, located about 150 miles north northeast of San Francisco, has already claimed 71 lives so far, destroyed more than 142,000 acres in Northern California, and over 1,000 people are now listed as missing.
But don’t worry. Donald Trump will be coming to California today to meet with victims of the massive wildfires. Trump said he also wants to meet with firefighters who have been battling the Camp Fire in Butte County.
No doubt his trip to California will clear the air.
This, That, and the Other 
Ughhh. My daughter and her fiancé are suffering in Dublin. They also have to walk their dog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s really bad. Seriously bad.
LikeLike
Why would Trump want to go to California? Haven’t the people there suffered enough???
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s all about optics. Maybe he’ll toss rolls of paper towels at the survivors.
LikeLiked by 2 people
😂😂😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel for those who have lost so much, and those who must still suffer more. It makes me wonder which is worse, a ‘natural disaster’ or a man-made war.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or a man-made “natural” disaster due to man-made climate change.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, the arguement is that everything happening is due to a Solar Minimun. Whatever that means.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gawd if he farts you’re all dead!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m here in the Bay area myself, and find the scariest part of the unhealthy air quality is you can no longer smell the smoke. At least when I could smell it, I knew.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But you can see it in the haze.
LikeLike
You look so cute and hip in the mask. We finally got a box of x. Hope we don’t have to use them all.
Haha! Trump clearing the air. Maybe his blow hardiness will put out the fires. Again I say “ha!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I added link to this post to my Six Word Saturday https://lightwords.blog/2018/11/17/quietly-awaiting-winter-flowering-to-begin/
LikeLiked by 2 people
I actually have an idea of what you look like without the mask! But with a mask. hahahha. The smoke must be tremendous as you all are sharing it with us in Oregon. I can smell smoke in Central Oregon. We have it bad every August in Oregon due to Wild Fire season – we actually have a season and each July, Aug, Sept – sometimes up to October -we have bad air. And now you guys are sharing with us, but I can’t imagine being in a pocket like that. I’m sorry. 😦 We have asthma and the slightest air quality issue and we’re dying. Also, poor LA area. First the valley had that terrible shooting at the bar with college kids and then a fire. Lot of Malibu gone. In light of the bad, there was good to see how the fire departments across the nation help their brothers. Seeing all the posts of trucks driving from South Dakota, Wyoming, and Texas. Listening to the live facebook stream by the local department – staging areas – of all the engines/companies that they were reading off and indicating who was going where. It was enlightening and filled me with pride to hear as they did role call and everyone saying “here” or “yeah” or “yup” and where they were from.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Your back!! I gave up on you. I thought you’d given up on blogging. Where have you been hiding? Now I’m going to have to start following you again.
LikeLike
Instead of Trump wasting all those troops protecting the boarder, they should be moved here to do something worthwhile.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I can’t imagine how truly bad it is for you who live in the area, and apparently up and down the coast — and every year (to an extent more of less)! When I try to imagine, it horrifies me. But I’m sure I can’t quite get it.
A concern I have on my own account is that one of my sons will be flying through the area next week. He’s going through LA and then Oakland toward the Midwest. Previously, my biggest worry was that flight times could be off.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hopefully conditions will improve by next week.
LikeLike
I sure hope so.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you can, put containers of water around the house. the purpose is to increase the humidity, which will help you breathe. You can also use wet (fresh water) clothes to keep wiping your eyes and face. It’s not much, but it helps. Oh, and the dog, too.
I hope there’s some respite coming, that it settles down and the smoke falls or blows away. And try not to do anything too strenuous. Try not to breathe too much of it in.
People can suffer serious health consequences from a smoky environment.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I just heard, and wrote down, two places that are local and trusted for donating to help victims and first responders only (no administration diversion, it is said).
nvcf.org (North Valley Community Foundation) and
a “donate” button on the front page for
Golden Valley Bank of Chico, CA
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/9/12/a_new_form_of_slavery_meet
{This article/transcript isn’t specifically about the current/most recent fires.}
……
In August, California Governor Jerry Brown thanked the firefighters on the front lines, including those who are incarcerated. GOV.
JERRY BROWN: There’s a tremendous effort fighting these fires, and I want to personally thank all the firefighters who are on the line—the members of Cal Fire, also the National Guard and the thousands of inmates who are also on the line fighting to protect lives and bring these fires to a quick close, to the extent that’s at all possible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/8/9/1_an_hour_to_fight_largest
{This if from that same time frame.}
…. a look at who’s actually fighting the fires. And it may just surprise you. In addition to roughly 7,000 full-time and seasonal California firefighters, the state relies on about 3,500 prisoners, including many women, to battle the blazes. The California Department of Corrections tweeted last week that at least 2,000 prisoners are currently fighting the wildfires burning across the state, including 58 youth offenders.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is really bad. I’m so distressed for all those poor people, it is heartbreaking. It is also awful for you and hazardous. I heard Trump say on the news that the problem is you have to take care of the forest floors, like he knew what he was talking about 😤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Also, taking care of national forests is a federal job. And these fires were not about national forests, they say. (So, again, he doesn’t know of that which he speaks.)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, he knows absolutely nothing. Just the other day he was blaming it all on the rangers.
My heart goes out to everyone there. Such a sad situation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He rarely does know of that with which he speaks.
LikeLike
He never knows what he’s talking about. The air quality index is now down to 108, so still not good, but a lot better than yesterday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well you look handsome in that mask.. Is it weird that I’m not asking about weather?
LikeLiked by 2 people
The weather is good; the air is not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a terrible situation, I hope it does improve soon; stay safe, and your family, as well.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks. It was a little better today than yesterday.
LikeLike
I am very glad to hear that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least today the sun was not an ominous red as it sunk over the coastal range I look upon from where I write. I was beginning to feel like I was in a sci-fi movie. An end of the world sci-fi movie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Air quality is still pretty bad. But there’s rain in the forecast for midweek, so that should help.
LikeLike
Sorry you (and your dog) have to go through this. It’s sad when a mask becomes part of your every day attire. Do they make masks for dogs? Maybe they should.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was wondering the same thing. I Googled it and they do make them, but they aren’t cheap.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The illusive Fandango shows a bit of himself… how handsome! Is the air quality still improving? I had wondered too about the dog masks… if you can get past the price, would the dog keep it on even?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would think MY dog, anyway, would not be thrilled with wearing a mask. We’re having rain, which has helped clear the air. So the air quality is back to good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well that is good news.
LikeLiked by 1 person