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Tuolumne County has issued an air quality advisory through Friday due to smoke from ongoing fires affecting air quality in surrounding areas. Health officials are advising residents to limit their time outdoors.”It was so hot today that I was sweaty and I just felt like the smoke was sticking right onto my body,” said Laura Leitner, a Sonora resident, describing the uncomfortable conditions. The hazy skies in Sonora on Wednesday are a result of the smoke impacting air quality in the Foothills. The county’s health officer, Dr. Kimberly Freeman, explained that conditions will vary across the county. “It depends on the inversion layer. So as the temperature shifts and the air settles down at night, the air quality might be worse down low. And then that air quality, the bad air quality might shift up high during the day,” said Freeman.Dr. Freeman is urging people to limit their time outdoors, especially those with respiratory issues like asthma or COPD. Residents in Sonora are echoing this advice. “We just stay indoors as much as we can. If you don’t have to be outside, we don’t,” said Kelly Carter.Another resident advised, “Try to wear a mask, get some covering over so you’re not breathing it in,” while others suggested avoiding outdoor exercise for extended periods.For those who must be outside, Dr. Freeman warned, “You are being exposed to those chemicals after you’ve come indoors for hours, if not days, if you don’t wash those clothes. So changing, showering is important; it can accumulate in our hair and can cause problems.”She added, “Especially if it smells like smoke, it is affecting you and your respiratory system. So those are ways to keep you safe indoors.”Freeman also emphasized the importance of keeping windows closed at home and having proper air filters on A/C units. Currently, the county is not providing masks, but residents are encouraged to visit public buildings like libraries to escape the smoke.Information on air quality and smoke can be found on AirNow’s Fire and Smoke webpage at https://fire.airnow.gov, which shows data from permanent and temporary particulate monitors along with low-cost sensors; https://www2.purpleair.com/ will show daily/hourly air quality forecasts.See an air quality map below:See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Tuolumne County has issued an air quality advisory through Friday due to smoke from ongoing fires affecting air quality in surrounding areas.
Health officials are advising residents to limit their time outdoors.
“It was so hot today that I was sweaty and I just felt like the smoke was sticking right onto my body,” said Laura Leitner, a Sonora resident, describing the uncomfortable conditions.
The hazy skies in Sonora on Wednesday are a result of the smoke impacting air quality in the Foothills.
The county’s health officer, Dr. Kimberly Freeman, explained that conditions will vary across the county.
“It depends on the inversion layer. So as the temperature shifts and the air settles down at night, the air quality might be worse down low. And then that air quality, the bad air quality might shift up high during the day,” said Freeman.
Dr. Freeman is urging people to limit their time outdoors, especially those with respiratory issues like asthma or COPD. Residents in Sonora are echoing this advice.
“We just stay indoors as much as we can. If you don’t have to be outside, we don’t,” said Kelly Carter.
Another resident advised, “Try to wear a mask, get some covering over so you’re not breathing it in,” while others suggested avoiding outdoor exercise for extended periods.
For those who must be outside, Dr. Freeman warned, “You are being exposed to those chemicals after you’ve come indoors for hours, if not days, if you don’t wash those clothes. So changing, showering is important; it can accumulate in our hair and can cause problems.”
She added, “Especially if it smells like smoke, it is affecting you and your respiratory system. So those are ways to keep you safe indoors.”
Freeman also emphasized the importance of keeping windows closed at home and having proper air filters on A/C units.
Currently, the county is not providing masks, but residents are encouraged to visit public buildings like libraries to escape the smoke.
Information on air quality and smoke can be found on AirNow’s Fire and Smoke webpage at https://fire.airnow.gov, which shows data from permanent and temporary particulate monitors along with low-cost sensors; https://www2.purpleair.com/ will show daily/hourly air quality forecasts.
See an air quality map below:
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
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