# Breaking News: The West coast is on Fire **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 19, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512 "2020-08-19T19:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/141 "2020-09-10T02:59:26Z")
So I did that and the numbers changed from 150-160 range, to around 90-ish. I guess that’s good news. When you say these sensors aren’t good with smoke, it sounds like you mean that they mistake it for smog or other more usual air pollutants? Towards the end of the day, the amount of light increased some today, I’m still hoping for a return to onshore wind flow any minute now. Any time. You can do it, I know you can. Just blow, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/142 "2020-09-10T04:18:17Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > So I did that and the numbers changed from 150-160 range, to around 90-ish. I guess that’s good news. Here’s the article I originally [keyed onto](https://thebolditalic.com/understanding-purpleair-vs-airnow-gov-measurements-of-wood-smoke-pollution-562923a55226). Quote: The laser sensors used by Purple Air rely on a hard-coded constant that represents the average density of the particles it is detecting. Because wood smoke particles are less dense (1.5 g/cm³) than typical PM 2.5 particles, the resulting AQI values are too high. However… The original version of this article recommended the LRAPA conversion, but I see he has now provisionally changed that to AQandU due to a possible underestimate created by the way the LRAPA conversion was implemented. This conversion is going to shoot your values right back up there 😆. Still the takeaway seems to remain that PurpleAir is absolutely useful, but shouldn’t be relied on as the last word for accurate numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/143 "2020-09-10T04:27:34Z")
Earlier today in Corvallis the report from [airnow.gov](http://airnow.gov) was “Beyond Index” and the numerical result was 515. I don’t know what significance that has when their scale seems to only go to 350-400 or so. Now when I try it’s “not available.” Maybe there was something wrong with their sensors. The air certain seemed noxious but I’m no expert. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/144 "2020-09-10T04:51:22Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > The original version of this article recommended the LRAPA conversion, but I see he has now provisionally changed that to AQandU due to a possible underestimate created by the way the LRAPA conversion was implemented. This conversion is going to shoot your values right back up there 😆. First, thanks for the explanation. I got the same delta as Roderick\_Femm, and AQandU shoots it right back to 150. Which is more my reaction to the bad air. In most places rain falls on your car right after you get a car wash. In the Bay Area, ash falls on it. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/145 "2020-09-10T15:17:17Z")
Daniel Swain has a newsletter you can subscribe to called California Weather Blog. You can sign up for it at [Weather West](https://weatherwest.com/). (Did I already say that? Hmm.) The forecast calls for 82 degrees today. It also did yesterday and only got to 63 here. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/146 "2020-09-10T17:34:13Z")
Today the sky is much less orange, but somehow thicker. There is no visible marine layer where I live, and the air quality started out worse than yesterday afternoon. The air inside is not what I would call fresh and I desperately want to open windows, but not today. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/147 "2020-09-10T17:42:21Z")
Around here the weather has gotten cool enough to open the windows and run the whole house fan in the evening… except I feel like if I do so I’d be just sucking smoke into the house. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/148 "2020-09-10T17:50:06Z")
According to this [Twitter thread](https://mobile.twitter.com/ZachsORoutdoors/status/1303904839500353537), both Rosie’s and the Subway are intact. I’ve noticed a large amount of inaccurate information regarding both this fire and the Almeda fire in Southern Oregon. As an example, I’ve seen reports that Phoenix is anywhere from 35% to 85% gone, a rather large range. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/149 "2020-09-10T18:24:43Z")
I can now confirm that the Ashland Burger King is a rubble pile. Wildfires are so capricious— the adjacent gas station and hotel survived, as did the gas station and the hotel across the street. I don’t think anyone knows yet how much of Phoenix is gone. News is hard to come by, and I don’t think there’s any kind of official damage assessment yet. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/150 "2020-09-10T19:16:22Z")
Checking in from northwest of Eugene, southwest of Corvallis. It’s really bad. Our power company precipitously turned off power early Tuesday morning (5:30 a.m.-ish) for good reasons, but without warning. On the whole, I don’t blame them. I don’t think anyone quite realized how devastating the winds would be. I could deal with that, but when the phone lines went as well, things got scary here in the forest. No phone, no computer, no tee vee, no water… no fun. Power and phones were finally restored yesterday afternoon. We have our own Ninth Circle of Hell arising from winds blowing east to west (almost unheard of) with the 145,000 acre McKenzie fire, due east of Eugene/Springfield. Marcola and surrounds are already evacuated. Springfield is under ‘Get Ready’ orders. We have had the red sun, the orange skies and all the rest. We have 90 firefighters trying to cope with a fire that needs 1,000. As for the ash, it reminds me of when Mt. St. Helen’s blew her top. I was living in Boise at the time. Dealing with ash raining down on us became part of our daily routine. I feel sorriest for the wildlife and livestock that can’t avoid breathing it. Today I am grateful for high humidity, low temperatures, calm winds and electricity. So sad for everyone out here in the west coping with this shared nightmare. Hang in there and stay safe. And don’t forget to rake your forests. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/151 "2020-09-10T19:21:32Z")
Here in Portland Census workers have been advised to stay home today. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/152 "2020-09-10T19:51:10Z")
I’m down in Roseburg. I’m personally not in any danger (yet), but the school I work at is just a few milea from the fire line and as near as I can tell the only thing keeping the compound safe at this point is thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/153 "2020-09-10T20:27:55Z")
> [@Tabco](#): > > According to this [Twitter thread](https://mobile.twitter.com/ZachsORoutdoors/status/1303904839500353537), both Rosie’s and the Subway are intact. I’ve noticed a large amount of inaccurate information regarding both this fire and the Almeda fire in Southern Oregon. I hope it’s true about Rosie’s. The picture in the Twitter thread doesn’t look like Rosie’s to me, but it’s really hard to identify the usual landmarks in that desolation. Very sad either way. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/154 "2020-09-11T15:06:07Z")
West side of the Portland metro area here. Wednesday night, the weather forecast said we’d see a high of 97° on Thursday. Thursday morning, they’d downgraded the forecast to 95°. The actual high was 80°. I guess because the thick layer of smoke blocked that much sunlight. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/155 "2020-09-11T15:17:10Z")
Yeah, here in the Bay area, our forecast is for upper 80’s. In reality, it’s getting to about 65. Smoke and our usual summertime marine layer is keeping it cool. Too cool. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/156 "2020-09-11T15:33:01Z")
Yeah here in the Sacramento area the temps are lower than forecast as well due to the heavy smoke. I had yesterday and today off from work but cancelled. I was planning to head to the mountains to escape the smoke - some areas where I usually hike had been showing in the green on AIRNow and PurpleAir, but all that has changed and now the mountains are all smothered as well. Additionally, all National Forests in CA were closed this week - meaning no one is allowed on any forest roads or trails (other than those fighting fires or otherwise authorized). The prison walls are closing in - sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/157 "2020-09-11T17:05:03Z")
> [@GESancMan](#): > > West side of the Portland metro area here. > > Wednesday night, the weather forecast said we’d see a high of 97° on Thursday. Thursday morning, they’d downgraded the forecast to 95°. The actual high was 80°. I guess because the thick layer of smoke blocked that much sunlight. Damn North Portland St. Johns-It is much worse today air quality-wise. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/158 "2020-09-11T17:50:19Z")
Here are the current evacuation zones for Oregon. The size of the zone east of Salem is incomprehensible to me. > **[Interactive: Oregon Wildfire Tracker Map :: The Oregonian | OregonLive.com](https://projects.oregonlive.com/wildfires/map/)** > > Here are all the currently active wildfires in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/159 "2020-09-11T19:03:54Z")
Here in the southern Puget Sound area, we were supposed to get to the upper 80’s with “patches of smoke.” It’s 61º with a thick layer of constant smoke. We’re not in a danger zone, so I can only imagine what it’s like for those of you who are. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/160 "2020-09-11T19:29:51Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Additionally, all National Forests in CA were closed this week - meaning no one is allowed on any forest roads or trails (other than those fighting fires or otherwise authorized). The prison walls are closing in - sheesh! That’s for sure. Shelter in place hasn’t bothered me much, since I could still go to the grocery store and still could work outside or go for walks. Now those are out. 240 on PurpleAir. Yikes! I like my house but I need to walk some. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512.md?page=9)