Smoke from Tassajara fire sparks health concerns

himself on fire and that probably is what caused the entire fire.” deputies hope that once they’re able to identify the man, they’ll have more answers as to how and why he set himself on fire. and here’s a look at the progress against the tassajara fire. today, cal fire says the 1-thousand acre fire is now 94-percent contained. firefighters say the fire destroyed 12 homes.. and 8 outbuildings… since it sparked… evacuation orders are still in effect for homes inside the fire perimeter. a day after the fires broke out… the monterey county office of emergency services issued an air quality alert. news channel 5 meteorologist steve fundaro takes a closer look at why wildfire smoke is so harmful… and why those returning to their homes should still be concerned. *trt:outcue:1:11* :11-:20 :34-:41 :49-:58those who should be concerned about poor air quality are people who live close to the tassajara fire. the size of the toxic particles found in wildfire smoke are so small and fine that they’re able to cause health problems.david frisbey :11-:20air quality planner “..be drawn deep into our lungs, bypassing our natural filters. and when it gets deep into the lungs it can actually transfer into the blood stream.”the direction of winds play a big role in clearing out the toxic air. at the monterey bay unified air pollution control district, experts have many tools to help determine where wildfire smoke and toxins will travel.robert nunes :34-:41air quality planner”it’s our best estimate, based on multiple indicators of what the situation is and how it’ll likely change as time unfolds.” there’s nothing like a fresh ocean sea breeze to improve air quality…but when it comes to leftover ash and debris…results are mixed. steve fundaro :49-:58carmel valley”the ashes aren’t as harmful as some of the fine particles found in wildfire smoke, however when the wind comes through and picks this up and mixes it into the air, it doesn’t travel very far.” and that means ash settling on houses, cars, and everything