California wildfires: Air quality rated 'world's worst'

[New World Explorer]

Northern California's air quality has become the worst in the world, according to monitoring groups, as the state battles devastating fires.

Air quality network Purple Air said on Thursday the air is now worse than smoggy cities in India and China.

Schools have cancelled classes, flights have been delayed, and internet searches for smoke masks are soaring.

At least 63 people have died in the Camp Fire - the state's deadliest and most destructive blaze.

The number of missing people has jumped to more than 600, local authorities said, doubling the size of the list in a day.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46242253

[Tortuga]

Today was a maintenance day at the Assembly Hall and the safety meeting was about masks. N95 masks are mandatory for any outside work today. Our AQI is still in the red but almost in the purple zone.

 

https://airnow.gov/

Edited November 16, 2018 by Tortuga

[New World Explorer]

2 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Today was a maintenance day at the Assembly Hall and the safety meeting was about masks. N95 masks are mandatory for any outside work today. Our AQI is still in the red but almost in the purple zone.

 

https://airnow.gov/

How far are you from the fires?

[Tortuga]

2 minutes ago, Gregexplore said:

How far are you from the fires?

We are about 100 miles south of Paradise.

[New World Explorer]

Sad....

[Miss Bea]

13 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

We are about 100 miles south of Paradise.

We are a couple of hundred miles, or so. But we have smoke from it in the air. Not that bad, but, it is almost if you can smell it, you need masks. The good ones. The particles from this type of fire settle into the recesses of your lungs, and, from what I read, are like tiny, tiny pieces of glass. 

I fear down the road all those who endured the smoke, with no masks, will have a price to pay. I did. 

We have regular forest fires, not structure fires. One summer, I putted along, acting like I had wits. Smoke in the air. No mask. Then, I got pneumonia. In the summer time. It took a while to even get rid of it, now, my lungs are highly sensitized to smoke, of any kind. 

If you are where the smoke from this fire is, protect yourselves. 

It seems to not be that huge a problem. For most. I was visiting a friend in Redding during that fire. (With my mask) Elaine has a Chattering Lorrie. Exotic bird. It’s fecal matter had black in it. She was worried. I told her she needed a hepa filter for her house. The bird was highly sensitive. She got one. 

And, she and her daughter started to wear those masks.

Edited November 16, 2018 by Miss Bea

[Tbs77]

Norovirus strikes shelters for California wildfire evacuees

145 people sick with vomiting, diarrhea

https://www.local10.com/health/norovirus-strikes-shelters-for-california-wildfire-evacuees

Wow!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Saffron]

36 minutes ago, Tbs77 said:

Norovirus strikes shelters for California wildfire evacuees

 

I contracted this horrible virus on a cruise ship once and may have been sicker than I have ever been in my life. Too weak to even walk to the medical area. 

 

Just what they need on top of everything else. 😕

[hatcheckgirl]

Oh this is truly terrible! It’s true that after disasters comes the harbinger of disease. So many disasters in these last days now, we are losing count, and it leaves us all very vulnerable and exposed to whatever viruses and bacteria are released and easily spread ithrough the crowds of survivors. This reality is lost on those of us living our lives away and separated from the disaster. We quickly become desensitised to their plight as the next big disaster takes news priority. The world in general doesn’t care and becomes apathetic- no, we are not in the last days to them. People aren’t waking up to the reality that we are not living in normal times, that society is severely being disrupted by all the things happening, all the signs glaringly obvious are being fulfilled.

 

And that is why they take no note, even if the need to wear a simple mask to protect their health.

[Saffron]

1 minute ago, hatcheckgirl said:

This reality is lost on those of us living our lives away and separated from the disaster. We quickly become desensitised to their plight as the next big disaster takes news priority. 

This is very true. I definitely am desensitized in a way.. maybe tuned out and shut down or something. I almost have to be because I will get too upset and depressed thinking about all of the suffering in the world. 😢

[hatcheckgirl]

Yes, I know what you mean. We see the suffering in the news, but we have the hope that this will end soon, and Jehovah will reverse everything. But you'd think that the penny would've dropped by now, for people to wake up to what’s happening and look for answers. They prefer to enjoy their consumerism that feeds the pleasure centres in their brains, and switch off. Not a spiritual thought in their noggin.

 

 

[tekmantwo]

33 minutes ago, hatcheckgirl said:

Oh this is truly terrible! It’s true that after disasters comes the harbinger of disease

Google Valley Fever.

 

It's a sickness that results from breathing airborne toxins that are released when homes burn.

((edit-- I was wrong on fire being the cause of this, but it is part of the dangers associated with a fire))

 

It's not the same type of smoke that results from a forest fire, the man made products that burn in housefires are particularly toxic, even if you think it's not smokey enough to wear a mask you absolutely should. 

 

I have N95 masks for our go-bags, I think I'm gonna get some different types, like N100 and also the lower end dust masks just to cover all the scenarios... Denise has very bad asthma and even a little bit of smoke gets to her.

 

I wonder if I should just get full on respirators?

I had one years ago when I had to spray paint inside of trailers that I built, the biggest issue back then was the filters would get clogged with paint and dry up, they were pretty much one use items.

 

I don't see paint spray being an issue with a forest fire or earthquake evacuation...

Edited November 16, 2018 by tekmantwo
I had incorrect info..

[Tortuga]

I wish there were animal face smoke masks...

This would be fun to wear...

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Tortuga

[Beggar for the Spirit]

1 hour ago, tekmantwo said:

I have N95 masks for our go-bags, I think I'm gonna get some different types, like N100 and also the lower end dust masks just to cover all the scenarios...

What are N95 and N100 masks?

Where can these be purchased?

Edited November 17, 2018 by Beggar for the Spirit

[dove]

12 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

I wish there were animal face smoke masks...

This would be fun to wear...

 

Until I saw the picture, I thought you meant face masks to protect animals from smoke..I still think that is a good idea..

[Tortuga]

4 minutes ago, Beggar for the Spirit said:

What are N95 and N100 masks?

Where can these be purchased?

This might help

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/334-353.pdf

[Tbs77]

Google Valley Fever.
 
It's a sickness that results from breathing airborne toxins that are released when homes burn.
((edit-- I was wrong on fire being the cause of this, but it is part of the dangers associated with a fire))
 
It's not the same type of smoke that results from a forest fire, the man made products that burn in housefires are particularly toxic, even if you think it's not smokey enough to wear a mask you absolutely should. 
 
I have N95 masks for our go-bags, I think I'm gonna get some different types, like N100 and also the lower end dust masks just to cover all the scenarios... Denise has very bad asthma and even a little bit of smoke gets to her.
 
I wonder if I should just get full on respirators?
I had one years ago when I had to spray paint inside of trailers that I built, the biggest issue back then was the filters would get clogged with paint and dry up, they were pretty much one use items.
 
I don't see paint spray being an issue with a forest fire or earthquake evacuation...

Valley Fever is a way of life in deserts....
https://amp.azcentral.com/amp/764819002





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[New World Explorer]

Fire chiefs around country warn Australia of bleak bushfire outlook

As fire chiefs from around the country stood ready to announce the Southern Australian Bushfire Outlook for 2018/2019, there was a grim sense of inevitability.

Fires have already ripped through southern New South Wales during winter, the spring outlook is dire, and there is twice the normal likelihood of an El Nino this summer.

This year is looking bad and the line-up of official uniforms and shiny badges seemed to be saying: "This is your official warning."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-06/fire-chiefs-around-the-country-warn-australia-of-bleak-outlook/10195114

[hatcheckgirl]

Air quality is pretty poor here today.  Only a prescribed burn.

 

Smoke Alert Advice - Perth Metropolitan

Time of issue:11:59 AM  Date of issue: 17 November 2018 Smoke Alert for the Perth CBD and surrounding suburbs in the the Perth metropolitan area The Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions has issued a smoke alert for the Perth CBD and surrounding suburbs in the Perth metropolitan area.   Smoke is beginning to clear as the low cloud and temperature inversion lifts and westerly winds strengthen. Smoke is expected to fully clear by mid-afternoon today. The smoke is the result of prescribed burns carried out in the South West by Parks and Wildlife Service, private landowners and local government.    WHAT TO DO:   If the smoke is particularly thick, it is recommended people shut doors and windows and turn off air-conditioners. Smoke may reduce visibility on some roads and motorists should take care, turn on headlights and travel at appropriate speeds when travelling in these areas. People with asthma and pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses should follow their pre-prepared treatment plan. People with conditions exacerbated by smoke should take precautions in line with their medical advice for these circumstances.   KEEP UP TO DATE: Visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dfes_wa, Facebook: https://facebook.com/dfeswa/, listen to ABC Local Radio or listen to news bulletins.   END

[tekmantwo]

2 hours ago, Tbs77 said:

Valley Fever is a way of life in deserts....
https://amp.azcentral.com/amp/764819002

 

Yup..

I have known about it for years although I did not know about it all those years I spent working on dirt spreads in Southern California. 

 

A couple of decades of rolling around in the dirt and breathing the dust that gets kicked up no doubt was the cause of some of my ailments in that timeframe.

I got a couple of things mixed up in my previous post, I dbl checked after I posted and saw where I was wrong.

[tekmantwo]

5 hours ago, Tortuga said:

This might help

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/334-353.pdf

Thanks for that....