Just back from a business trip to Chicago. I was astonished how bad it was. First day there (last week) I could see the shore of Lake MI from my hotel room. Yesterday I could not. The shoreline was 1/3 mile from my hotel.
When the convention closed and they opened the big doors to bring the trucks in and take the exhibits apart you could SEE the smoke coming into the convention center.
Yesterday’s air quality in Chicago was the worst on the planet.
Just wanted to say I implemented this when my local air quality went from red alert to purple (into the 210’s to 220’s range) and it really helped. I felt healthy this morning when I woke up, no headache, no pounding sinuses, no mucus, no shortness of breathe/wheezing.
Thank you so much for this!
I was going to say that once again there’s no sign of smoke here in this part of southern Ontario, but then I opened the back patio door for some fresh air and there was definitely a distinct smell of smoke. So much so in fact that I closed it up again and am now running the furnace fan. And the weather site lists today’s forecast as “smoke” and there is a special air quality advisory. The acreage of burning forest is now the highest on record; not the most fires ever, but the most area burning due to some of the fires being very big.
We have come down a bit in philly. In the unhealthy zone now.
Wow, hard to believe my last post about smoke was just three hours ago. Since then, there’s been a major change in the weather – the winds have died down and seem to be coming from a different direction. The air quality statement remains in effect but in this immediate area the air is fresh and cool, and all the windows are open. There’s rain in the forecast and hopefully that will help with some of the fires.
I’ve got blue skies, moderate temps, and a light breeze. Weather Channel app on my phone says air quality is 2.
California’s getting a break this year, at least so far, air quality is good where I am.
I went to Montreal for the first time last weekend and on Friday it appeared clear, but my brother and I were too tired to climb mont Royal despite being fairly in shape so it is possible that the air quality was already high enough to affect us. On Saturday it was supposed to downpour and thankfully didn’t but the visible smoke came in. I went to habitat 67 on Sunday and the combination of the stark walls and light mistlike smoke made it seem like a 2000s video game that couldn’t afford long distance graphics.
Then I visited Vermont and the smoke was supposed to miss it but it came nonetheless. Looked like it was clearing this morning though.
Sorry, eh? Hopefully the government will establish a seasonal national response team since this is unlikely to be a temporary problem. Given its mediocre treatment of volunteer firefighters, I ain’t holding my breath. Not yet. At the moment it’s bad enough here to make red sunsets but not to keep inside.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/28/us/canada-wildfires-air-quality-smoke
Western Pennsylvania yesterday looked like the fires were right down the road.
We were running between around 115 and 150 most of yesterday; currently at 179, down a bit from 185 earlier this morning.
Not great; but a whole lot better than last time, when we topped 400 for most of a day. I seem to be relatively resistant to at least short-term symptoms.
looking out the 29th floor windows today has me understanding the impressionist school of painting. it is looking monet out there. very soft and greyish.
174 where I am. Hoping this doesn’t go on for a week. I need to get some more N95 masks, I’m down to one and I had to repair it this morning.
Code Red (~170) here in Northern Virginia has prompted my employer to have everyone telework for the next couple of days.
180 here in Syracuse.
183 in philly.
Yeah, so far, I haven’t had a day when I went out into the parking lot and it looks like there is a light dusting of snow, except the “snow” is grey/black.
Right now, there are only 3 (small) active fires in the state.
2023 Fire Season Incident Archive | CAL FIRE
For contrast, here is last year’s fire map:
We’re orange today. But I’m DIYing inside.