Health Officials Caution Marin Residents About Wildfire Smoke

Air district officials advised Bay Area residents to avoid exposure to the smoke by staying inside with windows and doors closed and by setting air conditioning units and car vent systems to re-circulate to prevent outside air from coming inside.
Smoke can irritate the eyes and airways, causing coughing, a scratchy throat and irritated sinuses. Elevated particulate matter in the air can trigger wheezing in people who suffer from asthma, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure, officials said.
Click here for real-time air quality readings.

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Schools in Marin County remained open Friday, Nov. 9, despite smoky conditions from the 70,000-acre wildfire burning in Butte County, about 150 miles to the northeast.

Also see: Camp Fire: 70,000 Acres Burned, 2,000 Structures Destroyed

Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis clarified Friday that there was no formal recommendation from the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services to close schools.

"There is little evidence that with these air quality levels that children are better off at home," he wrote. "In fact, keeping children at home can increase exposure, especially when parents cannot be at home during the day to ensure children aren't spending too much time outside. Also, the air quality in homes is likely to be similar to that in schools."

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that certain activities be curtailed when smoke levels get as high as they were in Marin County on Friday, but it does not recommend closures.

"The challenge of blanket school closures is also that the situation can change quickly depending on winds and varies a lot even within the county," Willis said.

Public Health officials shared an air quality and outdoor activity guide for school officials to help them make choices on children’s activities. Friday conditions were red, one step below the critical purple on a health rating provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website at AirNow.gov.

Smoke from the fire spread across Northern California, prompting the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue an air quality advisory for the San Francisco Bay Area through Friday. The district, which is responsible for protecting air quality in the nine-county Bay Area, also issued a Winter Spare the Air Alert for the region.

Also see:

• Wildfire Smoke Prompts Winter Spare The Air Alert In Bay Area
• Wildfire Smoke Triggers Air Quality Advisory Through Friday

Air district officials advised Bay Area residents to avoid exposure to the smoke by staying inside with windows and doors closed and by setting air conditioning units and car vent systems to re-circulate to prevent outside air from coming inside.

Smoke can irritate the eyes and airways, causing coughing, a scratchy throat and irritated sinuses. Elevated particulate matter in the air can trigger wheezing in people who suffer from asthma, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure, officials said.

Marin HHS has also shared health tips for Marin residents on its website at www.marinhhs.org.

Photo: Smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County is seen on the horizon looking northeast from the Marin County Civic Center. / Photo via County of Marin