Gifford Fire smoke expected in Bay Area, air quality advisory in effect
Bay Area residents may see hazy skies and smell smoke, but the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said it does not expect pollution levels to exceed federal 24-hour health limits.
Ground-level smoke intensity, however, is difficult to predict. The United States Environmental Protection Agency's real-time smoke map shows clean air quality scores for much of the area, including San Francisco and Oakland.
San Pablo at Rumrill Boulevard and San Jose at Jackson Street showed moderate air quality levels that suggest 'unusually sensitive people' consider limiting time outside and heading indoors if they experience symptoms.
The Gifford Fire, burning through the rugged backcountry of California's Central Coast, has grown into the state's largest wildfire of the year and has reached 'megafire' status. The fire had burned 125,648 acres and was 33% contained as of Tuesday afternoon.
Even brief exposure to wildfire smoke and its pollutants can harm people, the air district said. Smoke can irritate the eyes, throat and sinuses. People with asthma, emphysema or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease can begin to wheeze when exposed to high levels of wildfire pollutants.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Firefighters make progress against fast-moving blaze along highway north of Los Angeles
Firefighters with air support scrambled to control a wind-driven wildfire that erupted Thursday morning in hills along Interstate 5 in northwestern Los Angeles County, officials said. The King Fire, which broke out around 1 a.m., charred nearly a square mile of tinder-dry brush in a lightly populated area about 60 miles north of downtown LA. An RV park was ordered to shelter in place and residents of remote homes were under evacuation warnings. The blaze was 40% contained as of the evening, the Angeles National Forest reported on the social platform X. Advertisement 4 A brush fire burning in the Gorman area of northern Los Angeles County has triggered evacuation warnings after scorching nearly 500 acres Thursday morning. KABC The California Highway Patrol closed some highway lanes as crews battled flames that raced along hillsides before dawn. Off- and on-ramps were closed near Smokey Bear Road, along with several surrounding roads just north of Pyramid Lake in a mountainous area known for hiking and boating. Advertisement The blaze is burning a few miles north of the Canyon Fire, which prompted evacuations, destroyed seven structures and injured three firefighters after breaking out Aug. 7. It was fully contained Thursday morning after charring more than 8 square miles of LA and Ventura counties. Firefighters were also battling a blaze in northern Los Angeles County that ballooned to 400 acres and resulted in one firefighter suffering a minor injury, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 4 The King Fire, which broke out around 1 a.m., charred nearly a square mile of tinder-dry brush in a lightly populated area about 60 miles north of downtown LA. KABC Advertisement 4 Firefighters were forced to shut down both sides of the freeway for a time as flames got dangerously close to the roadway. KABC 4 All lanes have since reopened but drivers are advised to exercise caution in the area. KABC The Hawk Fire was 6% contained Thursday evening and firefighters stopped its forward progress. Residents in the area around the fire in the small community of Acton were initially ordered to evacuate, but that was later downgraded, with officials telling them to be prepared to evacuate, according to the fire department. Advertisement A recreation center in Palmdale was opened for people forced to leave their homes. The Gifford Fire, California's largest blaze so far this year, has scorched nearly 207 square miles of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since erupting on Aug. 1. It was 41% contained on Thursday. Wildfire risk is elevated because Southern California has seen very little rain, drying out vegetation and making it 'ripe to burn,' the National Weather Service for Los Angeles warned in a statement last week.
3 days ago
Firefighters make progress against fast-moving blaze along highway north of Los Angeles
GORMAN, Calif. -- Firefighters with air support scrambled to control a wind-driven wildfire that erupted Thursday morning in hills along Interstate 5 in northwestern Los Angeles County, officials said. The King Fire, which broke out around 1 a.m., charred nearly a square mile (2.5 square kilometers) of tinder-dry brush in a lightly populated area about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of downtown LA. An RV park was ordered to shelter in place and residents of remote homes were under evacuation warnings. The blaze was 40% contained as of the evening, the Angeles National Forest reported on the social platform X. The California Highway Patrol closed some highway lanes as crews battled flames that raced along hillsides before dawn. Off- and on-ramps were closed near Smokey Bear Road, along with several surrounding roads just north of Pyramid Lake in a mountainous area known for hiking and boating. The blaze is burning a few miles north of the Canyon Fire, which prompted evacuations, destroyed seven structures and injured three firefighters after breaking out Aug. 7. It was fully contained Thursday morning after charring more than 8 square miles (22 square kilometers) of LA and Ventura counties. Firefighters were also rushing to contain a blaze in northern Los Angeles County that ballooned to 400 acres (162 hectares), according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The Hawk Fire was 6% contained Thursday evening, and some residents in the small community of Acton were ordered to evacuate. A recreation center in Palmdale was opened for people forced to leave their homes. Officials also warned that the blaze was a threat to the Angeles National Forest, less than a year after the Los Angeles area wildfires tore through the forest. The Gifford Fire, California's largest blaze so far this year, has scorched nearly 207 square miles (536 square kilometers) of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since erupting on Aug. 1. It was 41% contained on Thursday.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Firefighters battle a fast-moving blaze along a highway north of Los Angeles
GORMAN, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters scrambled to control a fast-moving wildfire that erupted Thursday morning in hills along Interstate 5 in northwestern Los Angeles County, officials said. The King Fire has swiftly charred about 400 acres (162 hectares) of tinder-dry brush in a lightly populated area about 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of downtown LA. An RV park was ordered to shelter in place and residents of remote homes were under evacuation warnings. The fire was 5% contained as of 6 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The California Highway Patrol closed some highway lanes as crews battled the flames. Off- and on-ramps were closed at Smokey Bear Road, along with several surrounding roads just north of Pyramid Lake in a mountainous area known for hiking and boating. The blaze is burning a few miles north of the Canyon Fire, which prompted evacuations, destroyed seven structures and injured three firefighters after breaking out Aug. 7. That fire was 97% contained Wednesday after charring about 8 square miles (22 square kilometers) of LA and Ventura counties. The Gifford Fire, California's largest blaze so far this year, has scorched at least 204 square miles (528 square kilometers) of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since erupting on Aug. 1. It was 41% contained on Wednesday.
