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Author Topic: California burning again  (Read 18065 times)

littleman

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2018, 08:06:21 PM »
It isn't really the smoky skies that bother me, its more the dangerous air quality and having my kids complain about sore throats and stinging eyes. 

This morning I've hacked our central heating to run as a fan with a top grade air filter -- hopefully that does some to clean up the indoor air.
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littleman

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2018, 08:13:13 PM »
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Travoli

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2018, 08:22:53 PM »
Really cool video, littleman
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ergophobe

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #18 on: November 19, 2018, 01:40:10 AM »
Quote from: littleman on November 18, 2018, 08:06:21 PM
its more the dangerous air quality

Definitely. If it were just the visual aspect, like fog, I wouldn't mind so much. When I say "smokey skies," I am thinking mostly of the PM2.5 reading, the itchy eyes, the persistent headache, the scratchy throat, the inability to go for a run without doing as much damage as smoking a pack of cigarettes... the whole wonderful mess.

We bought two high-end Austin Air Healthmate filters. They are incredible and will make *indoor* air quality excellent. But it feels like you're in a fortress against nature, afraid do anything outdoors that causes you to breathe deeply and suck that PM2.5 deep into the lungs.

I'm not saying I like it. I'm just saying that we probably have to get used to it or leave. And as I've mentioned here before, for the last 3-5 years, every year during fire season we start having conversations about leaving California.

Ironically, for me, the fear of burning down (source of considerable stress most years), is probably gone for at least five years. The fire chief says probably 10. So suddenly, I'm more comfortable than I've been in a while.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2018, 02:34:56 AM by ergophobe »
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Mackin USA

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2018, 12:23:13 PM »
Very cool video LM
Shows NC getting smoke from the Left Coast  >:(
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Mr. Mackin

littleman

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #20 on: January 23, 2020, 01:20:01 AM »
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rcjordan

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #21 on: January 23, 2020, 01:56:28 AM »
Everybody hates prescribed burns.  Even poor AU is having a hard time coming to grips with the need to do what the aborigines did and set the brush on fire.
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ergophobe

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #22 on: January 23, 2020, 02:53:56 AM »
Actually, most people around here like them. I mean, we hate the smoke and it's stressful - the Big Meadow Fire was caused by a prescribed burn that got out of control - but most of my neighbors are disappointed that a major prescribed burn on our border keeps getting scrubbed.
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littleman

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #23 on: August 20, 2020, 11:33:56 PM »
From Yesterday:
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rcjordan

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #24 on: August 21, 2020, 01:00:40 AM »
We're trapped! Californians face the dual nightmare of wildfires, coronavirus
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/20/californians-face-the-dual-nightmare-of-wildfires-coronavirus.html
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ergophobe

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #25 on: August 21, 2020, 06:51:49 PM »
We're in the middle of that plume. Today it cleared - stars last night and blue sky this morning... but overnight a fire broke out about 30 air miles away (50-60 road miles). Now it's getting really smoky.

I honestly would not care all that much if we didn't have our little rental property. In fact, it wouldn't even be that bad if our guests coming in were from California, but the next ones are from WI and NC. They are always surprised to find out that it might be smoky during their trip. Our contract says, "There is a high chance of smoky skies July through September and it could happen in other months too. If this prospect bothers you, we strongly recommend you purchase "Cancel for any reason" travel insurance. None of them do.

As I told a friend this morning, being in the lodging industry during fire season in CA is like being a webmaster for clients with a gambling sites who are shocked that three months a year they are being subjected to daily attacks and every year they threaten to switch providers if you can't stop the attacks, and then forget about it until next year.
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littleman

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #26 on: August 21, 2020, 08:36:32 PM »
Yeah, you are getting hit twice; once by Covid-19 and again by the fires.  Looking at purpleair.com last night parts of California were at 900, just insane.

We got lucky and there was a breeze of the coast last night and I was able to open the windows for a bit.  The air didn't start getting smoky again until early this morning.

Even with the windows closed smoke is seeping into the house.  I figured out a way to turn on our central heating fan without the gas furnace.  Running the fan pumps the air through the filter and is cleaning up the air pretty nicely.
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ergophobe

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #27 on: August 22, 2020, 01:11:52 AM »
>>900

We've been in the 40-60 range, actually a bit lower where we are compared to where the monitors are based on my subjective Eye on the Sky analysis.

Right now PM2.5 is at 32, which is actually not even a bad day in Los Angeles. Strangely, Ozone is high, which is rare for us. At least Ozone kills Covid ;-)

« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 01:37:06 AM by ergophobe »
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littleman

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #28 on: August 22, 2020, 08:24:12 PM »
Its been fluctuating a lot right here.  We've gotten into the healthy range (<50) but also as high as 300.  Sitting at 200 right now.   The local fairgrounds is doubling as an evacuation center and a covid-19 testing center now.  As of yesterday there were 560 fires and only 12,000 for the whole state.
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ergophobe

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Re: California burning again
« Reply #29 on: August 23, 2020, 02:52:38 AM »
12,000 firefighters?

Just had a gorgeous day up in Tuolumne Meadows. No smoke. Ten miles away as the crow flies, we could look over (and eventually drive through it) and it was pea soup.
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