Fires are burning in Southern California this week. You can smell the smoke clouds in the morning here in Long Beach. Yuck.
Personal Experience
I visited my parent’s home in Downey and could smell the fire smoke.
When I left there and headed back to Long Beach, the cloud of smoke had traveled from the Inland Empire to the beach.
The air is thick with ash and smoke. The ashes are falling here in Long Beach.
The smell of the smoke effects me physically so I have stayed indoors since I arrived back in Long Beach.
[callout]The same thick smoke clouds that were happening back in 2008 are happening in September 2020. The Bobcat Fire that is burning in Los Angeles County is probably sending Long Beach the most smoke I would think. Or El Dorado Fire in San Bernardino, Riverside County could be sending us ash as well.[/callout]
What to do if the fire effects you
- Pack a “to-go” box or carrying bag ahead of time.
- Fill it with insurance papers, bank statements, important documents along with your identification, credit cards, and cash.
- Water and food
- Clothing for the next few days
- Perhaps a phone book of friends as well.
- Download the Cal Fire mobile app
What is the Best Face Masks for Smoke?
I found this interesting article about Protect Your Lungs from Wildfire Smoke or Ash.
Protect yourself from poor air quality due to the California wildfires:
🏠 Stay indoors
🙅️Close windows
🌬️ Run A/C, if possibleSmoke levels can change throughout the day so stay indoors during smokier times. Stay up-to date on air conditions at https://t.co/1HwsvGJTE8
— Cal OES (@Cal_OES) August 20, 2020
Helpful Information about California Fires
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https://www.fire.ca.gov for current California wildfire map
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https://www.airnow.gov for air quality. I like this one since I have breathing issues that are triggered when I smell smoke.
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http://www.caloes.ca.gov/ – California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
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http://www.rvcfire.org/Pages/default.aspx – Riverside County Fire Department – gives great updates on what to do in case of a fire and what is going on right now.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for a national view of the weather
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California Fire Map for San Francisco Area
- Evacuation Status Map – for the El Dorado Fire
El Dorado Fire in San Bernardino / Riverside County
Watch the El Dorado Fire near Yucaipa in the San Bernardino County area of Southern California. This video is one of the local TV station’s views on September 9th, 2020.
The El Dorado Fire Generating Smoke Clouds
How the Fire Jump Scotches
“Fire embers” are carried by the wind and ignite fires when they land on brush or homes. They can travel as much as 3 miles from one city or neighborhood to the next.
The direction of the fires is so unpredictable.
Federal Agencies for updates
Local News for California Fires and Smoke Cloud Updates
Radio stations like KNX 1070 AM are great stations for updates on these fires, traffic, and news reports. All of the local television stations are covering the fire as well like KTLA 5, KNBC 4, KABC 7, and CBS 2.
