smoke in the air

The place where I live has been getting inundated with smoke from forest fires. To keep the smoke out we have to keep our windows shut even though we've been having a hot spell. Even with all the windows closed the smoke still seeps in and my eyes and throat are scratchy. We have to open up windows for a bit at night to cool the house down. I feel like I am walking all the time in a cloud of cigarette smoke and there is no break from it except when it rains.

I feel sorry for all those who have to live not only with smoke but with the risk of fire.

I used to be a cigarette smoker and the smoke in the air is a constant trigger. Plus it also triggers a reminder that I am a lung cancer survivor who could become a sick person at any moment. Plus it adds on a lot to the chemo fog that still lingers from treatment 2 years ago. I feel like I am living in a toxic world...

tecomsin, I hope the fires are gone very soon where you are and elsewhere. I feel very concerned for those in California who have been affected, too. As well as the wild life. It made me very sad to hear the lack of support (even nonsense nasty criticism) from high level officals in my country.

Oh no! That sounds nasty. I don't think I could tolerate it.
My heart goes out to you, tecomsin.

WC

I am so sorry. I hope the fires end soon. That sounds miserable, like when we get the "shelter in place" call because of a chemical plant mishap and have to turn off the air conditioning and close all the windows in the middle of school until the all-clear is given. (I live in an area with a large number of chemical manufacturing plants around.)

We here in Oregon are dealing with wildfire too. Our skies are hazy and the smoke is awful. I can hardly go outside because of my asthma. Praying for rain to douse those fires.

Oh dear! I don't know how people do it.
Love and prayers,

WC

Fortunately it was not as hot today as originally predicted. Our air quality index is 10+, which is the worst possible rating although of course the air could be worse. I had windows open last night to cool things off but have closed everything up and will leave them that way, until air quality improves. Am running just a room air conditioner and an air filter. Neither takes in outside air. My eyes stopped burning a few hours ago.

Yes BirdDancer, we also have lots of fires in Canada, especially the West and smoke blows from many hundreds of kilomters away sometimes. It is not as bad as California but it is pretty bad. So sad also about the lack of leadership, but Canada is also the world's worst emitter of greenhouse gases per capita... even if the rhetoric is better the actions are not much so as far as I can tell.

Now i have a new thing to keep track of: the air quality health index. Today 10+ (very high risk) and tomorrow is projected to be 9 (high risk).

I'm sorry you are also suffering from this too, BipolaRNurse. It is at least another month for us although we might get some breaks where the wind blows from a different direction.

I'm in No. CA on the coast. We're dealing with the smoke too. Some of it is coming from the fires in southern Oregon, some from two big fires not too far from here. One east, the other a little to the southeast.

My throat and sinuses have been killing me. We haven't seen the sun in a couple of weeks. When we were able to see the moon, it was orange. Beautiful, but not a good sign. I've been staying in as much as possible.

Our town has been filled with 'fire refugees' for a while, but some of them are able to go back home now in some areas. Not much, nothing really, to go back home to.

We're getting it (smoke and unhealthy air warnings) here too. And there aren't even any particularly nearby fires(!!) At least there's not ash like last autumn when there was a closeby one. In other words, I've got a mask, but am not using it. It does seem more tiring doing things outside, like walking (especially up the big hill after work getting to the bus stop) We have to open our windows at night to cool off, so fortunately it's not as terrible as last autumn when we couldn't.

My heart really goes out to everyone closer in to the fires. It's really awful business.

It's been one helluva summer. Extreme heat and non-stop wildfires since June. The town where I live is very close to the Mendocino Complex fire and not far at all from the Carr fire. The Mendocino Complex is the largest fire in Calif state history. Finally the past 2 days are the first sort-of clear days since late June - although the haze is still hanging around plenty. We haven't even entered our normal fire season yet. I expect more devastating wildfires in this state this summer. These rampant fires are due to a 6-year drought.

I feel like my throat, ears, and eyes will never be the same again. I fear for our earth; something is terribly wrong with the climatic situation.

I am so sorry you are both having to live in smoke, Laurie and tecomsin.

I do not know how you do it!

I am a mess if anyone nearby has a bonfire. The smoke! Ugghh! My airways react severely.

Thinking of you both!


WC

Thank you, WC dear. You are so kind.

Yes, this is a bad situation for you indeed. This is particularly true for people with ailments like COPD. Don’t you have A/C? This also will help filter out the snoke.

I drove to Vancouver Island and the smoke was so bad my eyes hurt. There was one spot that was so dark it felt like the apocalypse. I feel bad for people with compromised health and/or asthma. I also feel terrible for the forest critters losing their homes.

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this.

I live in central Alberta Canada. We have not seen the blue sky in weeks. We have to keep the kids in. There has been quite a few people with chest pain. It is horrible.

Thanks to everyone who has expressed their sympathy for all those in the same smoky situation. It has felt apocalyptic at times.

I only have a room ac in the living room and usually that has been enough even on the hottest days because it always cools off at night and I just open the windows then to bring the house down in temperature. Very few people have central ac in their homes where I live because it is up north and not that hot. Plus it always cools off at night.

Today we had a break in the smoke because the wind is blowing from the north instead of from the west or northwest so it is actually 'safe' to go out and breath the air. Our aqhi is now a 4, which is 'moderate risk' instead of 10+, which is beyond 'very high risk' 10...

Anyway I am thankful for the break. The smoke is expected to come back later this week and we really won't be in the clear until the fires end which could be september or even october... hard to believe.