Smoke from Canadian, Alaskan wildfires extends Bay Area air quality advisory
Continued drifting of wildfire smoke from Canada and Alaska has prompted Bay Area air regulators to extend an air quality advisory through Monday.
The Bay Area Air District originally issued an air quality advisory for Sunday because of the wildfire smoke impacts in parts of the region. Smoky, hazy skies may be visible, the smell of smoke is possible, and air quality may become unhealthy on Monday, the district said.
Smoke can irritate the eyes and airways and the elevated particulate matter in the air can trigger wheezing in those who suffer from asthma, emphysema or COPD, the Air District said. Children and elderly individuals were also urged to take extra precautions to avoid exposure.
The Air District urged residents to stay inside if possible, with windows and doors closed until smoke levels subside. People in vehicles can also reduce their exposure to smoke by setting their car vent systems to re-circulate to prevent outside air from moving inside.
The district, which changed its name from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in January, said pollutant levels were not expected to exceed the national 24-hour health standard, and as such, no Spare the Air Alert was in effect. Residents can check the U.S. EPA's Fire and Smoke Map to see if smoke is affecting their area at: https://fire.airnow.gov/.
Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate this month from wildfires burning in three Canadian provinces. At least two people have died. In Northern Alaska, at least five lightning-sparked fires began burning over the past week. Smoke from the fires has been drifting across the border into northern U.S. states and across the Atlantic to Europe. Climate change has fueled the wildfires and has exacerbated their frequency and Intensity, according to researchers.
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