【2006 Archives】

As California's wine country burns006 Archives the surrounding area in the San Francisco Bay Area is filling with smoke.

Even 60 miles south of the deadly fires, San Francisco and nearby cities are dealing with terrible air quality. The polluted air is more than noticeable with the hazy views, orange-filtered sunlight, and a gauzy layer of opaque air hovering on the horizon. A slight burnt smell lingers.

SEE ALSO: The science behind the fast-moving wildfires that are devastating California

This situation is one of the worst the region has seen with weather experts noting air quality has never reached these levels.

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A rare hazardous level warning even went out. And the polluted air is expected to persist for days. The fires started Sunday.

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On Wednesday afternoon, the Environmental Protection Agency index bumped up the San Francisco area to an orange level, meaning it's considered unhealthy to sensitive groups like children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD, emphysema, and heart disease.

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As of 6 p.m. PT, the city was put in the yellow, or "moderate," zone. Closer to the fire epicenters, air quality reached hazardous levels -- a rare occurrence.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

With elevated levels of fine particulate matter in the entire region, everyone in the area needs to be careful about spending time outdoors, especially exercising.

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The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a health advisory Tuesday and is keeping it in effect through the weekend. It's recommending that those sensitive groups be the most cautious.

For those closer to the flames, residents are advised to stay inside and find filtered air. In more extreme cases, people are advised to leave the area altogether. If people stick around, the air district advised putting on an N95 mask to filter out fine particles in the air.

People sported their mask looks online. The forecast for the next week is mild and warm, dry, and not very windy. Not helpful for quelling the multiple wildfires.

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Air quality officials are warning everyone in the region to think about the air they are breathing. School districts made plans to hold indoor recesses, PE classes, and sports practices.

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The fires have been horrific, killing people and destroying homes, neighborhoods, businesses, farms, and vineyards.

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A police officer recorded this dash footage as he drove through the California wildfire

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