West coast fires

[Alectoris]

Well, our specific AQI is down for the last few days but the general map still reads "hazardous".

YAY!

 

[Winemaker]

Doesn't seem to be that bad here in SW PA, skies seem pretty clear. According to my Weatherbug app, AQ is 36, but rated fair.

 

[ERD50]

Thanks. Does this one work?


....

No. It appears that you are linking to a google account that you are signed into.

To test, open a private window in your browser, and enter the link. When I did that, it asked me to sign into my google account. I'm not sure if turning sharing on will help, or if google still gets between the browser and the content in some way the forum software does not like.

https://lh3.[B]googleusercontent.com[/B]
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-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

I’m heading to your neck of the woods for a long weekend. I’ve debated if we should postpone, but instead, I think I’ll go up Hurricane Ridge to get above any lingering smoke. Maybe I should bring a tent? [emoji2]

I’m still hoping that it will clear out by this weekend, but at this point, I’m a tad bit skeptical.

Hurricane Ridge! Such an awesome spot. I hope it’s worth it through, driving through all that smoke to get there, and having many obstructed views.

 

[RAE]

NF were closed to majority of logging in the 90's. Much were designated wilderness inappropriately. There have been others since that have tried to reopen, (properly manage) the NF but much like every other issue, it's been tied up in relentess court cases at tax payers expense. There will always be fires but properly mitigated considerably less harm done. Less lives put in danger to fight the fires. Less cost for the tax payers to fight the devastating beetle kill throughout the NF after being closed for so many yrs. Less cost trying to get the NF back to some kind of a safer level of fire risk. NF are like our second home. We take advantage of our great NF. Currently two western states we spend time in, the NF are looking considerably better. Again because there is a mad rush to get them properly controlled or lose them. Seriously everyone should take a walk sometime back into our NF and see for yourself just how bad and overgrown and dangerous for risk of fire they actually are.

I worked on Nat. Forests for 31+ years, and in retirement I still spend a lot of time recreating in the NF's. Your comments may apply to some NF's in the West, but they do not apply across the entire NF system. And your comment about areas being designated as wilderness inappropriately is an opinion that is not shared by many, including me. Also - the main cause of the beetle kill you refer to is not a lack of forest management, but primarily due to another topic that we can't discuss on the forum, unfortunately.

 

[4legsgood]

Our AQI was 209 this morning so I thought things were improving. Tonight it's back up to 390 again. That's better than the 500+ readings a few days ago, but it's still unbearable to be outside for any length of time.

We have individual wall heaters, so no furnace filters to replace (and no way to clean the air in the house). I closed our fresh air vents and turned off our ventilation system to stop the smoke from coming in, but now the house is really hot and stuffy inside. It has been 10-15 degrees cooler outside and I so wish I could open a window for some "fresh" air.

Everything in the house is covered with a fine layer of dust, as are the cars and everything outside. We'll have a lot of deep cleaning to do when this is over.

Rain is forecast tomorrow evening, and they keep saying the air will clear by the weekend. I hope so.

Fellow Washingtonian here, I can vouch for the simple hack of taping merv 13 (or what you've got - I taped together 2 10x20 merv 11s) air filter to box fan - became visibly brown after 4 days. I've been damp mopping, thinking an okay thing to do cuz doesn't raise dust.

Mother nature, please send us a gully washer and I promise to never complain about the rain again!

 

[mountainsoft]

I can vouch for the simple hack of taping merv 13 (or what you've got - I taped together 2 10x20 merv 11s) air filter to box fan - became visibly brown after 4 days.

I actually have a box fan and air filter stored in our attic that I've used during construction projects. Unfortunately, I didn't think to bring it in earlier this week, and now it doesn't seem worth the trouble since the air is supposed to clear. We'll see. If I feel ambitious I might go grab it and see if it helps any.

 

[4legsgood]

I actually have a box fan and air filter stored in our attic that I've used during construction projects. Unfortunately, I didn't think to bring it in earlier this week, and now it doesn't seem worth the trouble since the air is supposed to clear. We'll see. If I feel ambitious I might go grab it and see if it helps any.

I'm thinking filter on box fan is my new normal. Why just blow air around when you can filter it too? I run fans a lot, like the white noise and breeze.

 

[stepford]

I almost feel guilty to admit it, but my little corner of eastern Ventura County has been an isolated bubble of clean air in SoCal for the past 12 hours or so (AQI < 30). DW and I celebrated with our first bike ride in a week this morning (since who knows how soon the crummy air will return).

 

[Retch The Grate]

still clear in SF, yesterday was readings of 1-3 around us on the PurpleAir sensor map, decided since the forecast is clear till the weekend to take a chance and left the windows open when I went to sleep. House is cool and fresh, it's a really nice change. Not looking forward to the smoke coming back on the weekend.

 

[target2019]

Heard from a friend in Ventura, and she relayed that she has not seen any effect.

In NJ for the past week we've seen odd colors in the western sky at sunset. For two evenings I could smell the smoke.

These are very sad times.

 

[calmloki]

Woke last night to the sound of thunder. We had giant flash photography and big booms from 5 to 25 seconds later, so 1-5 miles off. Finally got some rain so we had the windows and bedroom door open - still smelled and looked smoky, but the hope was that the particulates and schmutz would get washed out. It was great to listen to the rain in the thunder - this should knock down the fire spread and give our firefighters a chance. This morning I can almost convince myself I see spots of sky or clouds against the smoke cover. Smells much better.

 

[mountainsoft]

Woke last night to the sound of thunder. We had giant flash photography and big booms from 5 to 25 seconds later, so 1-5 miles off. Finally got some rain so we had the windows and bedroom door open - still smelled and looked smoky, but the hope was that the particulates and schmutz would get washed out. It was great to listen to the rain in the thunder - this should knock down the fire spread and give our firefighters a chance. This morning I can almost convince myself I see spots of sky or clouds against the smoke cover. Smells much better.

We woke up to lightning, thunder, and heavy rain around 4am this morning. There was only 2-3 seconds between flash and boom, so it was closer I think. Thunder shook the house a few times.

I stepped out on the porch this morning and the air is definitely cleaner, though there is still a hint of smoke in the air. Despite that, it was 75 and stuffy in my home office today, so I opened my window anyway. The cool, slightly smoky, air is still a relief.

The nearest air quality reading was 156 this morning, but that's about 20 miles away down in the valley. We're about 1500' up on a mountain. It's still too dark to see what the skies look like this morning.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Those reports of rain are great to hear. I’ve been praying for rain for the west coast. Sure hope it aids the firefighters. Heard one firefighter lost his life yesterday.

Also, read yesterday that the AQI for Yosemite Valley was over 800. Same for Mammoth.

 

[W2R]

Those reports of rain are great to hear. I’ve been praying for rain for the west coast. Sure hope it aids the firefighters. Heard one firefighter lost his life yesterday.

Also, read yesterday that the AQI for Yosemite Valley was over 800. Same for Mammoth.

That's so high!

Our AQI values have been in the 20's and 30's, and we have neither seen nor smelled any smoke here. From what I am reading, most of the rest of the country has not been so fortunate.

I heard that even more rain is expected out west, and I am hoping it helps to put out the wildfires.

 

[Major Tom]

I almost feel guilty to admit it, but my little corner of eastern Ventura County has been an isolated bubble of clean air in SoCal for the past 12 hours or so (AQI < 30). DW and I celebrated with our first bike ride in a week this morning (since who knows how soon the crummy air will return).

A few days ago, in the SF East Bay, the air in my immediate locale got as low as an AQI of 2. That evening, I threw my windows wide open and sat in the dark with my kitties, drinking in the beautiful, cool, fresh air, and listening to the sound of distant cicadas. It was wonderful. This morning, AQI = 13, which is still very acceptable.

As Joni said, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. I never fully realized the wonder that is clean air, until this fire season, and will not take it for granted again. I'm going to be viewing each fire season from now on, with great trepidation.

 

[ronin]

98* and 13% rel. humidity currently in the valley across from the Bobcat fire in the San Gabes. It alternates burning dark, thick smoke to towering mushroom clouds as it chews through the canyons and hillsides. Totally out of control, threatening the north side of the mountains towards the Antelope Valley as well as down towards the foothills and west to Mt. Wilson. Winds have shifted and it seems we aren't getting as much of the smoke river from no. cal. so the air isn't too bad the last 2 days across the valley from the foothills. Over there is another story.

 

[RobbieB]

I'm happy to report that we're back in the "green" again! A beautiful day of blue sky and puffy clouds. Ozone 28 and PM <2.5 down to 16.

Yea, Delta Breeze! Currently 80 degrees and going to 60 tonight. Got some burgers and mushrooms for the barby, gonna add some smoke to the air to celebrate!

 

[W2R]

My DD says it is raining at her home in the Portland, Oregon suburbs! I am so happy to read this. According to Wunderground, they are expecting 0.78" of rain there today.

 

[neihn]

Rain on and off through out the day today in SW Washington (Vancouver/Camas) - I don't smell smoke outside anymore. Hope it stays that way.

 

[tulak]

Much better in Seattle too. Not a 100%, but I had windows open most of the day and it was pleasant enough. The rain helped a lot. Yay!

 

[mountainsoft]

Rain on and off through out the day today in SW Washington (Vancouver/Camas) - I don't smell smoke outside anymore. Hope it stays that way.

Yep, last I checked at AirNow.gov the AQI was 25 in the "Good" range. Light rain, no more smoke. Yay! I opened our air vents and turned on our ventilation fan. So nice to have fresh air again.

Unfortunately, with the return of the rain I discovered our driveway drain is clogged. Ran a snake through it only to discover roots. Dang. I'm gonna snake it again today, but it looks like I'll probably have to dig up the drain line and repair/replace it.

 

[RobLJ]

AQI is 25 at the sensor nearest us and very cool in Reno, so all our windows are open. Yesterday morning was in the 140s and the week before that we were in the 200's (Carson City had readings around 350).

Unfortunately, the smoke is supposed to build back up next week.

 

[Brat]

Written by my DIL: It rained very hard yesterday. Like a tropical rainstorm. This morning the birds are chirping, there are clouds, our Blue Heron returned, it smells good and the AQ is 16 to 20 this morning! Still smoke in the sky but life is getting better.

 

[homestead]

Our air cleared up yesterday can see 2 or 3 miles now. Can still see smoke up in the mountain where the fire was but the fire is 100% contained now.