Smoke drifting to Santa Cruz County from Butte County fire prompts health advisory
UPDATE 11/09/18 5:30 p.m. Smoke drifting to the Central Coast from the Butte County fire has health officials warning residents to stay indoors.
Much of Santa Cruz County is experiencing unhealthy air quality from the Northern California Camp Fire burning 200 miles away.
Santa Cruz County Health Officer, Dr. Arnold Leff says people should remain indoors.
Dr. Leff says some people may turn to face masks when it gets too smokey outside, but those can only do so much. “It does damage immediately really these are very small particles and they get into the edges of your lunges and can clearly impact breathing for everyone.”
He says if you have to be outside the N95 masks are preferred, but they only work for a short amount of time, “after awhile those masks wind up have too much carbon dioxide, the thing you breathe out, winds up in the mask so you wind up getting trouble breathing. The other thing is if anybody has facial hair, beards, mustaches, the masks do not seal very well so they don’t really work.”
County officials also recommend, “limiting the use of wood fireplaces, gas logs, gas stoves – even candles. Avoid vacuuming as that stirs up fine particles and avoid smoking.”
The best advice for residents is to stay indoors, people KION spoke with say that’s what they plan to do.
Resident Scott Derbonne says, “I’m an asthmatic so when it starts to cloud up and smoke up we tend to stay inside a little bit more.”
Doug Maher, says “typically on Friday’s I like to barbecue but i definitely won’t be doing that when i get home that’s for sure.”
To check the Monterey Bay Air Resources District real-time air quality, click here.
PREVIOUS STORY:
Smoke drifting to the Central Coast from the Butte County fire has health officials warning residents to stay indoors.
Much of Santa Cruz County is experiencing unhealthy air quality from the Northern California Camp Fire burning 200 miles away.
Santa Cruz County Health Officer, Dr. Arnold Leff says people should remain indoors.
Dr. Leff says some people may turn to face masks when it gets too smokey outside, but those can only do so much.
County officials also recommend, “limiting the use of wood fireplaces, gas logs, gas stoves – even candles. Avoid vacuuming as that stirs up fine particles and avoid smoking.”
To check the Monterey Bay Air Resources District real-time air quality, click here.
KION’s Ashley Keehn will have more tonight at 5 p.m.
