latimes--2020-09-11--'The worst day of my life': Family mourns teen killed in massive North Complex fire

As the massive North Complex fire sped across Plumas , Butte and Yuba counties this week , tens of thousands of residents rushed to escape .
Some were unable to flee in time .
Justin Williams and his two sons were at home in Berry Creek when the fire exploded Wednesday .
As Williams hopped in one car to check on family in the area , he said that Josiah , 16 , and his older brother , who had been visiting from Indiana , were supposed to leave in their respective cars .
When Williams reached the bottom of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t escaped , he tried desperately to drive back to the house .
But he was stopped by police and redirected to nearby Highway 70 .
Every road was blocked .
Williams finally reached his older son , Jason , by phone .
But Josiah never called .
When the boy couldn ’ t be found , his aunts and mother posted pleas on social media , begging for anyone with information to call them or contact the Butte County Sheriff ’ s Office .
The family received the harrowing news around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains had been identified using DNA that matched Williams ’ .
The teen , affectionately known as JoJo , is among 10 people killed in the sprawling North Complex blaze , which includes the Bear fire and is among the deadliest in state history .
As of Friday morning , .
An additional 16 people have been reported missing in the area of the fire , which was 23 % contained as of Friday morning .
“ He was a good , quiet boy , ” Williams said about his younger son , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He was smart , just trying to find his spot in this world.
” Josiah ’ s mom , Jessica Williams , was not immediately available for comment .
But she shared a grief-stricken message on Facebook .
“ I ’ m so sorry son I wasn ’ t there to protect you , ” she wrote .
Josiah ’ s body was among seven found Thursday as fire officials searched through pockets where the fire had burned .
The bodies of three other Butte County residents were found the day before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains of two people were found at one location ; the other body was found elsewhere , officials said .
“ We are deeply heartbroken and numb , ” Josiah ’ s aunt Bobbie Zedaker said Thursday night .
“ I was hoping to receive good news , but today has been the worst day of my life .
I lost my hometown , my home is gone , and my nephew is gone .
He didn ’ t deserve this .
He deserved a long and happy life.
” In Josiah ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December shows a boy wearing a smirk and a cap standing in front of a group of trees .
Plastered below him reads the hashtag , “ Never Give Up .
”

Flames shoot from a broken gas line at a home destroyed by the North Complex fire in Berry Creek, Calif.
As the massive North Complex fire sped across Plumas, Butte and Yuba counties this week, tens of thousands of residents rushed to escape. Some were unable to flee in time.
Justin Williams and his two sons were at home in Berry Creek when the fire exploded Wednesday. As Williams hopped in one car to check on family in the area, he said that Josiah, 16, and his older brother, who had been visiting from Indiana, were supposed to leave in their respective cars.
When Williams reached the bottom of the hill and realized the two hadn’t escaped, he tried desperately to drive back to the house. But he was stopped by police and redirected to nearby Highway 70. Every road was blocked.
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Williams finally reached his older son, Jason, by phone. But Josiah never called.
When the boy couldn’t be found, his aunts and mother posted pleas on social media, begging for anyone with information to call them or contact the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
The family received the harrowing news around 9 p.m. Thursday: Josiah’s remains had been identified using DNA that matched Williams’.
The teen, affectionately known as JoJo, is among 10 people killed in the sprawling North Complex blaze, which includes the Bear fire and is among the deadliest in state history.
Josiah Williams, 16, died in the North Complex fire. (Courtesy of Justin Williams)
As of Friday morning, it had burned 252,534 acres . An additional 16 people have been reported missing in the area of the fire, which was 23% contained as of Friday morning.
“He was a good, quiet boy,” Williams said about his younger son, who acted older than his age. “He was smart, just trying to find his spot in this world.”
Josiah’s mom, Jessica Williams, was not immediately available for comment. But she shared a grief-stricken message on Facebook.
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“I’m so sorry son I wasn’t there to protect you,” she wrote.
Josiah’s body was among seven found Thursday as fire officials searched through pockets where the fire had burned. The bodies of three other Butte County residents were found the day before, Sheriff Kory Honea announced. The remains of two people were found at one location; the other body was found elsewhere, officials said.
“We are deeply heartbroken and numb,” Josiah’s aunt Bobbie Zedaker said Thursday night. “I was hoping to receive good news, but today has been the worst day of my life. I lost my hometown, my home is gone, and my nephew is gone. He didn’t deserve this. He deserved a long and happy life.”
In Josiah’s Facebook profile, a photo from December shows a boy wearing a smirk and a cap standing in front of a group of trees. Plastered below him reads the hashtag, “Never Give Up.”
Times staff writer Alejandra Reyes-Velarde contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-11--With California ablaze, Newsom blasts Trump administration for failing to fight climate change

Standing among charred trees in Oroville , Gov .
Gavin Newsom insisted that California will do more to fight climate change and took the Trump administration to task for its policies that reduce environmental protections .
“ People that want to roll back vehicle emission standards so you could spend more money at the pump and produce more greenhouse gas emissions , to create more of what you see around me — it ’ s beyond the pale of comprehension , ” Newsom said .
“ We ’ re fighting against that and will prevail as long as more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned that the problems facing California and states along the West Coast would soon be experienced across the country .
“ This is a climate damn emergency , ” he said .
“ This is real and it ’ s happening.
” Newsom made a passionate argument for increasing efforts to address climate change as the number of acres that have burned in California so far this year topped 3 million and other state and foreign governments sent resources to battle major blazes statewide .
The governor also signed legislation Friday that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their records expunged in order to continue fighting blazes in California upon release .
The California Legislature approved Assembly Bill 2147 , introduced by Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes ( D-Grand Terrace ) , with the intent of allowing inmate firefighters who put their life on the line for very little compensation to have more opportunities to seek professional licenses and career paths .
Existing law requires former inmates to complete parole before they can apply to have their records expunged .
The new law , which takes effect in January , states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or county fire camp would become eligible to have their record expunged once they are released .
If they can successfully complete a process to have their record expunged , they would then be able to seek professional state licenses .
“ Rehabilitation without strategies to ensure the formerly incarcerated have a career is a pathway to recidivism , ” Reyes said in a statement .
“ We must get serious about providing real pathways to employment for those that show the determination and commitment to turn their lives around.
” Although advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill as a major first step toward providing more career opportunities to released prisoners , some are worried that former inmate firefighters could still struggle to find work because their criminal records would be expunged but not sealed , and therefore appear on background checks .
The bill gained attention this year amid major wildfires and after Newsom approved the early release of thousands of inmates as COVID-19 spread through the state prison system .
The decision left the state short of inmate firefighters who work on hand crews to dig lines around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years to hire more firefighters , invest in vegetation control projects , buy helicopters and airplanes , and improve forest health , the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic meltdown left little money in this year ’ s state budget for new wildfire prevention efforts .
Two last-minute attempts to free up millions in wildfire response and prevention funding fell flat in the California Legislature late last month .
Newsom touted an agreement his administration made last month with the U.S. Forest Service , in which the federal government plans to match the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of forest land per year by 2025 .
But even under the new commitments , it could take decades to treat millions of acres of unhealthy forests in California .
When asked if the state was doing enough to prevent and fight fires , Newsom said the extreme weather in California and historic number of lightning strikes over the summer would have overwhelmed even the “ most abundant and well-resourced ” agencies .
Newsom said he talked on the phone with President Trump for nearly 30 minutes on Thursday about California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid .
The governor credited Trump for being “ proactive ” in his efforts to provide assistance to the state and expects him to say more publicly about the fire emergency in the state .
But in criticism that Newsom indicated was aimed not only at Trump , he encouraged people to vote for leaders who recognize the importance of the fight against climate change .
“ If people are still in denial and they ’ re leading the charge of keeping you protected and keeping you healthy and safe ... they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positioned to be the kind of leaders that we need for your community , for the state and our nation into the future , ” Newsom said .
“ This is that serious , and it requires a seriousness of purpose , a seriousness of understanding , a seriousness of consciousness around science and Mother Nature and the realities of the world that we ’ re living in .
”

Standing among charred trees in Oroville, Gov. Gavin Newsom insisted that California will do more to fight climate change and took the Trump administration to task for its policies that reduce environmental protections.
“People that want to roll back vehicle emission standards so you could spend more money at the pump and produce more greenhouse gas emissions, to create more of what you see around me — it’s beyond the pale of comprehension,” Newsom said. “We’re fighting against that and will prevail as long as more people come to this cause.”
The governor warned that the problems facing California and states along the West Coast would soon be experienced across the country.
“This is a climate damn emergency,” he said. “This is real and it’s happening.”
Newsom made a passionate argument for increasing efforts to address climate change as the number of acres that have burned in California so far this year topped 3 million and other state and foreign governments sent resources to battle major blazes statewide.
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The governor also signed legislation Friday that would make it easier for inmate firefighters to have their records expunged in order to continue fighting blazes in California upon release.
The California Legislature approved Assembly Bill 2147, introduced by Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace), with the intent of allowing inmate firefighters who put their life on the line for very little compensation to have more opportunities to seek professional licenses and career paths.
Existing law requires former inmates to complete parole before they can apply to have their records expunged. The new law, which takes effect in January, states that inmates who participate in a state or county fire camp would become eligible to have their record expunged once they are released. If they can successfully complete a process to have their record expunged, they would then be able to seek professional state licenses.
“Rehabilitation without strategies to ensure the formerly incarcerated have a career is a pathway to recidivism,” Reyes said in a statement. “We must get serious about providing real pathways to employment for those that show the determination and commitment to turn their lives around.”
Although advocates hailed Newsom’s signature on the bill as a major first step toward providing more career opportunities to released prisoners, some are worried that former inmate firefighters could still struggle to find work because their criminal records would be expunged but not sealed, and therefore appear on background checks.
The bill gained attention this year amid major wildfires and after Newsom approved the early release of thousands of inmates as COVID-19 spread through the state prison system. The decision left the state short of inmate firefighters who work on hand crews to dig lines around fires.
Advertisement
Despite boosting funding in recent years to hire more firefighters, invest in vegetation control projects, buy helicopters and airplanes, and improve forest health, the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic meltdown left little money in this year’s state budget for new wildfire prevention efforts. Two last-minute attempts to free up millions in wildfire response and prevention funding fell flat in the California Legislature late last month.
Newsom touted an agreement his administration made last month with the U.S. Forest Service, in which the federal government plans to match the state’s goal of treating 500,000 acres of forest land per year by 2025. But even under the new commitments, it could take decades to treat millions of acres of unhealthy forests in California.
When asked if the state was doing enough to prevent and fight fires, Newsom said the extreme weather in California and historic number of lightning strikes over the summer would have overwhelmed even the “most abundant and well-resourced” agencies.
Newsom said he talked on the phone with President Trump for nearly 30 minutes on Thursday about California’s fires, emergency declarations and federal wildfire aid. The governor credited Trump for being “proactive” in his efforts to provide assistance to the state and expects him to say more publicly about the fire emergency in the state.
But in criticism that Newsom indicated was aimed not only at Trump, he encouraged people to vote for leaders who recognize the importance of the fight against climate change.
“If people are still in denial and they’re leading the charge of keeping you protected and keeping you healthy and safe ... they’re not truly, I think, positioned to be the kind of leaders that we need for your community, for the state and our nation into the future,” Newsom said. “This is that serious, and it requires a seriousness of purpose, a seriousness of understanding, a seriousness of consciousness around science and Mother Nature and the realities of the world that we’re living in.”


latimes--2020-09-11--Choked by smoke, San Francisco opens homeless centers, urges residents to stay inside

As officials across the Bay Area warned of more hazardous air quality from wildfires , San Francisco opened relief centers for homeless people Friday and urged everyone else to stay inside with windows and doors shut .
Air quality throughout much of the region on Friday was at “ very unhealthy ” levels .
Mary Ellen Carroll , executive director of San Francisco ’ s Department of Emergency Services , said during an online news conference that older people , those with respiratory illnesses and children , were especially at risk .
She urged residents not to use leaf blowers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid indoor painting and to use stove exhaust fans while cooking .
“ We are asking people to stay indoors with windows and doors closed , ” she said .
The Bay Area was hit by surreal red and orange skies earlier this week and was still contending with smoke Friday as wildfires raged across Northern California .
Smoke was also fouling the air in Southern California .
The said smoke advisories will remain in effect through the day .
Areas along the 210 Freeway from Pasadena to Rancho Cucamonga are likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Even in areas far from fires or areas not covered by a smoke advisory , if you can smell smoke or see ash from a wildfire , avoid or limit outdoor activities , ” the district said .

The San Francisco Bay Bridge and city skyline are obscured in orange smoke on Wednesday.
As officials across the Bay Area warned of more hazardous air quality from wildfires, San Francisco opened relief centers for homeless people Friday and urged everyone else to stay inside with windows and doors shut.
Air quality throughout much of the region on Friday was at “very unhealthy” levels. Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of San Francisco’s Department of Emergency Services, said during an online news conference that older people, those with respiratory illnesses and children, were especially at risk.
She urged residents not to use leaf blowers, barbecues or hair spray, to avoid indoor painting and to use stove exhaust fans while cooking.
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“We are asking people to stay indoors with windows and doors closed,” she said.
The Bay Area was hit by surreal red and orange skies earlier this week and was still contending with smoke Friday as wildfires raged across Northern California.
Smoke was also fouling the air in Southern California.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District said smoke advisories will remain in effect through the day. Areas along the 210 Freeway from Pasadena to Rancho Cucamonga are likely to see the highest levels of particulate matter.
“Even in areas far from fires or areas not covered by a smoke advisory, if you can smell smoke or see ash from a wildfire, avoid or limit outdoor activities,” the district said.


latimes--2020-09-11--Your questions about air quality answered

Air quality in Southern California is at unhealthful levels because of wildfires close to home — the Bobcat and El Dorado fires — and all over California and the West Coast .
Experts recommend that you stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed .
If you have one , run an air conditioner that recirculates indoor air and has a clean filter .
Air purifiers can also help .
You can make a DIY air filter out of a box fan , an air filter and duct tape ( just be careful with it ) .
Avoid strenuous physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lung conditions , such as asthma , as well as the elderly and children should take extra precautions .
What are your questions about the smoky air ?
We ’ ll do our best to get answers and will add them below .
How can I check the air quality in my area ?
If you live within the area covered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District — comprised of most of Los Angeles , Riverside and San Bernardino counties and all of Orange County — you can use the AQMD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday morning , areas near the Bobcat fire showed hazardous levels of pollution .
The L.A. County Public Health Department issues public health alerts about air quality and other topics .
Orange , Riverside , and San Bernardino counties do so as well .
The website Purple Air also has a map that covers areas beyond the AQMD ’ s jurisdiction .
Weather apps for smartphones have air quality readings , too .
Does being by the beach help our air quality any during this time ?
This question comes from Angel La @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the beach doesn ’ t offer any special protections from wildfire smoke , said Romain Lacombe of Plume Labs , which builds global maps of air quality levels for AccuWeather .
Tyler Knowlton of Plume Labs added : “ There ’ s also the distance from busy streets that could help , as well as a lack of tall buildings making corridors that can trap pollution .
However , in wildfire circumstances , the situation is so radical and the plume of smoke so big , the normal gains from local winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are virtually obliterated.
” Air quality readings bear that out .
On Friday afternoon , there wasn ’ t much difference between Torrance and downtown Los Angeles , for example .
What is the weather phenomenon trapping the smoke over the Bay Area , and when will it get better ?
Brian Garcia , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the San Francisco Bay Area , said the smoke is essentially trapping itself .
Here ’ s how he explained it .
We ’ re all familiar with the onshore winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pick up in the afternoons in San Francisco ( and in Southern California for that matter ) .
That generally happens because inland areas are warmed by the sun , causing warm air to rise and creating low pressure .
The air over the ocean typically has higher pressure , so that air rushes to the lower pressure areas inland .
Sea breeze .
But smoke from wildfires has drifted over the Bay Area and is blocking the sun , preventing inland areas from heating up , and disrupting the normal pattern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to the ground where we breathe is not being mixed or moved around as much as it normally would be .
The other way for air to mix and move around is for a storm to act like a “ broom and sweep the whole thing clean , ” Garcia said .
As for when things might get better , Garcia is hoping that a storm moving toward the Pacific Northwest will come far enough south on Sunday to push some smoky air out of the Bay Area .
If that doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be at least a week until another weather system is forecast to move into the area .
The Bay Area could be in for some uncomfortably warm and smoky days .
Does air quality get better at night ?
This question comes from Dan Sucher in Highland Park .
And the answer is : Not really .
Garcia said that in conditions like we have now , air quality can actually worsen at night .
There tends to be less wind at night , and that allows pollutants , such as smoke , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How long is this terrible air quality going to last ?
Is there any relief on the horizon ?
This question comes from a reader in Pasadena .
We ’ re probably stuck with these conditions at least through the weekend , Philip Fine , deputy executive officer of the AQMD , told The Times ’ Hayley Smith .
“ Throughout Southern California , everybody is experiencing this , ” Fine said .
“ It looks like it ’ s overcast , but a lot of that is smoke from the Northern California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plume up and down the West Coast that ’ s over a thousand miles wide .
“ I ’ ve never seen anything that widespread and bad , ” Fine added .
And as for folks near the Bobcat fire , like our reader in Pasadena , the smoke from that blaze is making things even worse .
What can I do about ash ?
• Don ’ t clean up ash and soot if you have heart or lung problems .
• Don ’ t let ash get on your skin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blowers to clear ash .
Use a damp cloth or a light spray of water .
• Direct any ashy water to ground areas and away from runoff systems .
• If you have ash in your home , use a vacuum with HEPA filters .
Sweep gently if using a broom .
• Wash your car and any toys or outdoor furniture .

The Los Angeles skyline is shrouded in smoke from the Bobcat fire as seen from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Azusa as it burns in Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Despite the unhealthful air quality, Fabian Ortez of Riverside enjoys an afternoon of fishing off the pier in Seal Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
An upbeat message on the South Coast Cinemas marquee in Laguna Beach is dimmed by the smoky air. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
A man walks his dog past the historic lifeguard tower in Laguna Beach as the sun is obscured by smoke from wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The sky is gray over the Santa Monica Pier as a family plays in the breakwater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A crow on a cypress tree in Garden Grove is silhouetted by a sun obscured by ash from Southland wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Visitors check their photos at Griffith Observatory with a smoky view of the Hollywood sign behind them. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
An aerial view of Dodger Stadium and the downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset is obscured by smoke, ash and smog on Sept. 14. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Elijah Simpson practices shooting hoops against a backdrop of smokey skies from the Bobcat Fire at Angel’s Gate Park in the San Pedro on September 16, 2020. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Brooks Hubbard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes photos from the historic North Broadway Bridge over the Los Angeles River Tuesday morning as smoke and ash from the Bobcat fire cloak the area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Air quality in Southern California is at unhealthful levels because of wildfires close to home — the Bobcat and El Dorado fires — and all over California and the West Coast.
Experts recommend that you stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed. If you have one, run an air conditioner that recirculates indoor air and has a clean filter. Air purifiers can also help. You can make a DIY air filter out of a box fan, an air filter and duct tape (just be careful with it). Avoid strenuous physical activity, especially outdoors. People with lung conditions such as asthma, as well as the elderly and children, should take extra precautions.
Here are the answers to Times readers’ questions.
How can I check the air quality in my area?
If you live within the area covered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District — comprising most of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and all of Orange County — you can use the AQMD’s air quality map. On Monday afternoon, areas near the Bobcat fire showed hazardous levels of pollution.
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The website AirNow.gov lets you enter your ZIP Code and get the most recent air quality readings for your area, along with advisories on whether you need to reduce or avoid activities.
The L.A. County Public Health Department issues public health alerts about air quality and other topics. Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties do so as well.
The website Purple Air has a map that covers areas beyond the AQMD’s jurisdiction. Weather apps for smartphones have air quality readings too.
What do the numbers on air quality maps and in weather apps mean? And what level is safe?
The air quality index readings you see from the South Coast AQMD are on a 500-point scale. Anything over 100 can be unhealthy for people with conditions such as asthma or heart disease. Anything over 150 is unhealthy for everyone, and people should limit outdoor activity when readings are that high. (Here’s a detailed explanation.)
Some weather apps, such as AccuWeather, use a different index. Plume Labs developed the one AccuWeather uses.
“Once you get above 101, even people without environmental sensitivities and existing respiratory illnesses will start to feel an impact,” said Tyler Knowlton, director of communications at Plume Labs.
Sometimes, different sources can have very different readings. For example, AccuWeather had a reading of 48, or “fair,” at noon on Monday. But the AQMD app and the native iPhone weather app showed readings of 157 and 159, in the unhealthy range for everyone.
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If you can see or smell smoke, which many people in Southern California can, it’s a good idea to stay indoors as much as possible.
California How to read and understand air quality numbers and maps Here’s how to interpret the air quality numbers you see when you look at air quality maps or readouts on smartphone weather apps.
How protected are you from outside pollution when driving a car?
If your air conditioning is on and you press the car’s air recirculation button, which keeps the outside air from getting in, the air inside the car should be pretty clean, said Will Kaufman, content strategist at Edmunds.com.
Most cars purchased within the last decade will have an inside cabin air filter, which can filter the air over and over again as it’s recycled inside the car, he explained.
Luxury cars may even have an air ionizer feature, which imparts a slight electrical charge to particles so that it’s easier for them to stick onto the filter when the air is recirculated.
If your air filter is outside the car, then the air is filtered only one time before it circulates inside.
The Smart Air research team found that most car air filters were surprisingly effective, said founder Thomas Talhelm. He recommended turning the air conditioner on full blast for about a minute when you first get in the car and keeping it at a normal level for the rest of the drive.
If anyone is concerned about the quality of their cabin air filter, Kaufman recommends buying a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter for your car, which is easy to change yourself, he said.
Is there a way to find the exact current reading in my neighborhood?
No, there is no place to find up-to-the-minute air quality readings broken down by neighborhood. The closest thing is AirNow.gov , which will have the most recent available readings on the air quality in your ZIP Code.
The reader who asked this question was trying to determine whether exercise could be scheduled for lower-pollution times. But that is challenging to gauge. If the most recent reading says the air quality is unhealthy, it’s unlikely that it has meaningfully improved in the interim while the fires are still burning. Read on for more about exercise.
Is it unsafe to exercise outside?
Generally speaking, if you can see and smell smoke outdoors, “it’s probably not a good idea to be exercising outside,” said Ed Avol, a professor and chief of the Environmental Health Division in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the USC Keck School of Medicine.
There are short- and long-term risks to exerting yourself outside when the air quality is so poor. In the short term, you could deal with headaches, cough or throat or eye irritation. Those will typically resolve within a few hours or by the next day, Avol said. But in the long term, inhaling dangerous particulate matter increases your risk of developing diseases like chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder, asthma or cardiovascular problems.
As a lifelong runner, Avol said he understands the physical and mental health benefits of exercise that people are missing out on. Depending on your personal health and risk tolerance, he said, you could consider walking instead of running, shortening your run, skipping every other day or switching to an indoor workout for the time being.
Is there a generally safer time of day to exercise right now, like early in the morning?
Normally, yes. Right now, no. Avol said he usually tells people to avoid exercising on busy streets during rush hour or during the hottest part of the day. But smoke doesn’t have a rush hour or a down time.
“The problem is, with all the smoke, [air quality] doesn’t really change across the day,” Avol said. Exercising earlier or later in the day won’t make much of a difference.
Is it safer right now to exercise outside by the ocean?
Again: Normally, yes; right now, no. Usually, ocean winds blow pollution off the water and toward the city, so the beach is one of the cleanest places to breathe in L.A.
“Unfortunately, right now there’s no good outdoor solution” for exercising and avoiding poor air quality, Avol said.
Is it safe to exercise indoors, or should I try to avoid all exertion?
The air quality inside your house is likely better than outside of it right now, especially if you have air conditioning or another air filtration system and keep the doors and windows closed. Even if you don’t have air conditioning, Avol said, something as simple as keeping a damp towel over the cracks in doors and window sills will help improve your air quality.
To maintain better air quality in your home, consider making a DIY air filter. Don’t burn candles or incense, avoid using aerosol sprays, and turn on the induction fan on the stove when you cook.
Are the risks of poor air quality the same for pets as for people?
We received lots of questions about pets. Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Assn., explained that animals’ respiratory systems are different from those of humans, but dogs, cats and, in particular, birds can be more sensitive to the poor air quality.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Protect Your Pets From Wildfire Smoke” fact sheet , the smoke can irritate your pets’ eyes and respiratory tract, especially if the pet has heart or lung disease.
The EPA recommends keeping pets indoors as much as you can. Call your veterinarian if you notice coughing or gagging, red or watery eyes, nasal discharge, inflammation of the throat or mouth, reluctance to eat hard foods, trouble breathing, fatigue, disorientation or reduced appetite or thirst.
“It’s not a good time for you and your pet to go for a run,” according to the fact sheet. “Let dogs and cats outside only for brief bathroom breaks if air quality alerts are in effect.”
“Keep them well-hydrated and, at a minimum, adhere to the same safety guidelines as humans,” Benjamin said. “Treat your dog like yourself.”
And that includes creating a “go bag” for your pets — an easy-to-carry emergency kit if you all need to evacuate.
What are the health effects on pregnant women?
“The first issue is the sensitivity they individually have to poor air quality,” Benjamin said. “The best thing to do is consult their doctor, because one’s underlying health conditions plays a big role.”
In general, the concern for pregnant women is that there is a correlation between poor air quality and smaller babies and early deliveries. Benjamin recommends pregnant women stay indoors and check the air quality index. If the AQI is over 150, they should try to minimize their risk by not having prolonged exposure to the air outdoors and not doing intense physical activity like running.
It’s like avoiding smoking and secondhand smoke, he said.
At what point should one evacuate because of poor air quality?
We received several questions about this. Many people don’t have the option of leaving, but if you have the option, should you?
It’s a tough question to answer, said Benjamin, because everyone’s situation is different. But here’s what he tells his patients.
“First, look at the fire risk. And then, from an air quality perspective, if you’re in any of the sensitive groups, and if the air quality is projected to be unhealthy, 150 or higher, for a few days, and you can’t protect yourself at home, you might consider leaving.
“It’s about weighing your options. What resources do I have to stay here? Is it safe for me to stay here? If you have asthma and your asthma is flaring up, you have to make a decision about whether you can go someplace else for a little while, and it might be easier to leave sooner rather than later. But if you can protect yourself inside, then maybe you can tough it out for a few days.”
He gives this as a general guideline: With an AQI of 150 to 200, try to avoid any outside activity, including mowing grass or other heavy physical exertion. Over 200, any kind of physical activity outside is not healthy. Over 300, avoid going out until it’s safer.
How does the smoke affect our safety when it comes to COVID-19?
“There’s evidence that air pollution exacerbates the lining of your lungs and causes more inflammation, and that inflammation makes it easier for COVID-19 to infect your lungs, so you could get sicker if you are exposed,” Benjamin said. “Now, those are early studies, from the last few months, but that tends to be pretty clear.”
Can masks help mitigate the effects of this air pollution?
We received several variations of this question.
“You need a really good mask to protect against pollution,” said Knowlton of Plume Labs.
“You can imagine that a particle small enough to pass through the membrane of the lungs into our bloodstreams has no problem penetrating even the best cloth mask,” he added.
For tiny pollutants, according to a 2016 University of Massachusetts Amherst study, cloth masks may offer only 40% to 65% protection — better than nothing if one must go outside. And Talhelm of Smart Air pointed to data on the effectiveness of surgical masks.
“However, there is a risk that these masks will impart a false sense of security in the wearer, in particular in these extreme pollution situations,” Knowlton said.
Knowlton recommended N95 and anti-pollution masks. But the situation is even more complicated as we’re in the midst of a pandemic. Anti-pollution masks commonly have valves to let air out and make breathing easier.
“Unfortunately, valves render the mask pretty much useless in preventing the transmission of viruses, because it is designed to let air out, along with whatever else might be in that air,” Knowlton said.
What do I need to know about running an air conditioner?
Questions about air conditioners were common. When and how to run an air conditioner depends on the type of unit and its filter. AQMD recommends running air conditioners that recirculate indoor air and have clean filters.
Window and wall units, for example, draw air in from outside, cooling it in the process. The unit then vents back out into the world. Most of them have some sort of filter (there are many kinds), which catches varying degrees of pollutants in the process of pulling outside air inside.
In a wildfire situation, the air in your home is very likely to be cleaner than the air outside. So Knowlton said that if you are going to be drawing dirty air in with an air conditioner, you’ll want to be confident the type of filter you have can effectively screen the most harmful pollutants.
Does being by the beach help our air quality any during this time?
This question comes from Angel La Canfora in Torrance. Unfortunately, living by the beach doesn’t offer any special protections from wildfire smoke, said Romain Lacombe of Plume Labs, which builds global maps of air quality levels for AccuWeather.
Knowlton of Plume Labs added: “There’s also the distance from busy streets that could help, as well as a lack of tall buildings making corridors that can trap pollution. However, in wildfire circumstances, the situation is so radical and the plume of smoke so big, the normal gains from local winds and proximity to other sources of pollution are virtually obliterated.”
Air quality readings bear that out. On Friday afternoon, there wasn’t much difference between Torrance and downtown Los Angeles, for example.
What is the weather phenomenon trapping the smoke over the Bay Area, and when will it get better?
Brian Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the San Francisco Bay Area, said the smoke is essentially trapping itself. Here’s how he explained it.
We’re all familiar with the onshore winds, or sea breezes, that tend to pick up in the afternoons in San Francisco (and in Southern California, for that matter). That generally happens because inland areas are warmed by the sun, causing warm air to rise and creating low pressure. The air over the ocean typically has higher pressure, so that air rushes to the lower-pressure areas inland: sea breeze.
But smoke from wildfires has drifted over the Bay Area and is blocking the sun, preventing inland areas from heating up and disrupting the normal pattern of onshore winds. So the air close to the ground where we breathe is not being mixed or moved around as much as it normally would be.
The other way for air to mix and move around is for a storm to act like a “broom and sweep the whole thing clean,” Garcia said.
As for when things might get better, last week, Garcia had hoped that a storm moving toward the Pacific Northwest would come far enough south on Sunday to push some smoky air out of the Bay Area. That didn’t happen — air quality readings were still in the unhealthy zone Monday afternoon. Another storm could be headed for Northern California by the end of this week.
Does air quality get better at night?
This question comes from Dan Sucher in Highland Park. And the answer is: Not really. Garcia said that in conditions like those we have now, air quality can actually worsen at night. There tends to be less wind at night, and that allows pollutants, such as smoke, to settle closer to the ground.
How long is this terrible air quality going to last? Is there any relief on the horizon?
Light onshore winds picked up in Southern California on Monday. And that means some areas could see slightly thinned-out smoke, and others will get thicker smoke, Kathy Hoxsie, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, told The Times on Monday. She added that no big change is expected until at least the middle of the week.
“We have that big high pressure over us, and as long as that’s there, it’s kind of a cap on the smoke,” she said.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has forecast moderate to unhealthful air for a large swath of the region, including central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. Conditions are expected to be somewhat better along the coast and in Orange County.
Lifestyle Don’t worry about a dusting of wildfire ash on your garden — just wash it away California’s wildfires have left many Southern California gardens dusted with ash. That coating can hurt the plant’s ability to soak in the sun, but a quick rinse with a hose will send the ash into the soil, where it can actually do some good.
What can I do about ash?
The AQMD recommends the following:


latimes--2020-09-11--With Bear fire still burning near Oroville, a son's hope for his mother dwindles

Zygy Roe-Zurz was in Oklahoma on Friday , but his heart was in Berry Creek , the once-sylvan mountain town now turned to ash by the Bear fire .
His mother , Suzan Violet Zurz , a painter and former model , remained missing from there , and his hope was fraying .
“ I can imagine so many scenarios , ” he said , speaking by phone .
He is beginning to fear the worst , though , as days mount with no word from a parent to whom he is very close , he said .
Roe-Zurz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his mom on Tuesday , when she was packing to evacuate with Roe-Zurz ’ s aunt and uncle , Philip Rubel and Millicent Catarancuic , with whom she shared a house .
But then the trio received information that made them believe the fire was being contained , wind was dying down , and it would be safe to stay , he said .
Fire is no stranger to these Northern California hills , where the Sierras meet the Cascade range , and it had bypassed the family before .
So they began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone calls gave way to silence .
Then , Thursday night , investigators for the Butte County Sheriff ’ s Office called his cousin and asked for a DNA sample , he said , to positively identify the remains of his aunt and uncle .
They were found in a truck not far from their house , he said , but he does not yet know if his mother was with them .
Knowing the fate of two beloved family members is “ a relief , but it ’ s also disturbing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ I guess they felt that if there was a change in circumstances they would be able to get out , and that proved to be a fatal error , ” Roe-Zurz said .
“ There are a lot of possibilities .
I don ’ t know what all the facts are fully .
... My mom could have done something different .
She was the type of person who would have done her own thing.
” Butte County Sheriff ’ s officials did not immediately return a call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatalities from the fire and at least 16 missing .
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea asked earlier this week for patience while positive identifications are made , but some family members , like Roe-Zurz , have come forward .
On Thursday , the family of Josiah Williams , 16 , confirmed they had also been asked for a DNA sample and believed the boy dead .
While families wait for answers and permission to return to the town , where fires still smolder and occasionally flare , smoke sat heavy on the surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocking the water from view as emergency crews , firefighters and a few locals evading roadblocks made their way up a narrow mountain highway to Berry Creek .
For most who lived here , their homes are now little more than remnants of everyday items that don ’ t burn easily : washing machines , brick chimney stacks , concrete garden statues of frogs and angels , though a few still stood , unharmed .
By Lake Madrone , on the main road of Berry Creek , a half-dozen unscathed wood homes stood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frogs splashed among white lotuses .
Nearby , two sleek horses , one black and one bay , stood at the fence of a green pasture , well watered , gazing at a burned field just feet away .
By Friday , the North Complex fire had scorched more than 254,000 acres and forced some 20,000 residents in Plumas , Butte and Yuba counties from their homes .
Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart said that the fire is still active and that firefighters are concentrating on containing it around an area below Berry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost could act as a “ gateway ” for the fire to reach Oroville .
But weather conditions have softened , and firefighters were making progress on containment .
Kendall Hill , 15 , sat in a camp chair in a parking lot with his dad Thursday near the turn off to Kelly Ridge , helping friends give out free hot dogs and chips to exhausted first responders , some working nearly round the clock .
Hill fled his house in Berry Creek Tuesday night , leaving before flames arrived .
His home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the area lost theirs .
“ It ’ s sad , emotional , ” he said , exhaustion in his eyes .
“ They just have to go through it as the days go by.
” His neighbor from Berry Creek , Ginni Weed , sat in a chair next to him , and reached out to touch the teen ’ s hand .
Many from Berry Creek described the isolated village as having a community where everyone was “ like family.
” Weed grew up in Berry Creek , raised her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt relieved to be passing out food .
“ It ’ s better than sitting home sulking , ” she said .
“ It hurts bad.
” On Friday , resident Will Cotter began a fundraising drive for another fellow resident : volunteer fire chief Reed Rankin .
Head of the volunteer department for decades , Rankin has been manning the local station nearly alone since the coronavirus outbreak began and Tuesday night drove through town warning residents to leave while his own home burned , said Cotter .
Cotter said that though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is insured and “ will be fine.
” Rankin , though , lacked insurance , he said , and also lost the truck and tools he used for his pump business .
Rankin is still out fighting the blaze , and Cotter hasn ’ t been able to reach him since a brief phone call Thursday , but when he learned of Rankin ’ s loss , “ it was the first time I cried through this whole thing , ” he said , describing Rankin as “ a big gruff guy ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the time.
” “ I know everybody needs help , but I mean , this dude who has given so much , we have to help him out , ” said Cotter .
“ He ’ s old school .
He ’ s not going to ask for anything.
” For Roe-Zurz , Friday was about a place he loved that now exists only in memory , and the people who made it matter .
Though he has been in school and traveling abroad , he considers Berry Creek home .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visiting his family , and is thankful he did .
“ I am so grateful for that time , ” he said , recalling tranquil walks with his mother through the hush of tall pines .
“ She ’ s just an incredible spirit .
”

A statue singed by flames sits amid a home destroyed in the Bear fire on Thursday in Feather Falls, a town in Butte County.
Zygy Roe-Zurz was in Oklahoma on Friday, but his heart was in Berry Creek, the once-sylvan mountain town now turned to ash by the Bear fire.
His mother, Suzan Violet Zurz, a painter and former model, remained missing from there, and his hope was fraying.
“I can imagine so many scenarios,” he said, speaking by phone. He is beginning to fear the worst, though, as days mount with no word from a parent to whom he is very close, he said.
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Suzan Violet Zurz is missing after the Bear Fire near Oroville, Calif. (Zygy Roe- Zurz)
Roe-Zurz, a medical student, last spoke with his mom on Tuesday, when she was packing to evacuate with Roe-Zurz’s aunt and uncle, Philip Rubel and Millicent Catarancuic, with whom she shared a house.
But then the trio received information that made them believe the fire was being contained, wind was dying down, and it would be safe to stay, he said. Fire is no stranger to these Northern California hills, where the Sierras meet the Cascade range, and it had bypassed the family before. So they began to unpack.
A day of multiple phone calls gave way to silence.
Then, Thursday night, investigators for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office called his cousin and asked for a DNA sample, he said, to positively identify the remains of his aunt and uncle. They were found in a truck not far from their house, he said, but he does not yet know if his mother was with them. Knowing the fate of two beloved family members is “a relief, but it’s also disturbing that they weren’t all together,” he said.
“I guess they felt that if there was a change in circumstances they would be able to get out, and that proved to be a fatal error,” Roe-Zurz said. “There are a lot of possibilities. I don’t know what all the facts are fully. ... My mom could have done something different. She was the type of person who would have done her own thing.”
Butte County Sheriff’s officials did not immediately return a call for comment but have previously reported 10 fatalities from the fire and at least 16 missing. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea asked earlier this week for patience while positive identifications are made, but some family members, like Roe-Zurz, have come forward. On Thursday, the family of Josiah Williams, 16, confirmed they had also been asked for a DNA sample and believed the boy dead.
While families wait for answers and permission to return to the town, where fires still smolder and occasionally flare, smoke sat heavy on the surface of Lake Oroville on Thursday night, blocking the water from view as emergency crews, firefighters and a few locals evading roadblocks made their way up a narrow mountain highway to Berry Creek.
For most who lived here, their homes are now little more than remnants of everyday items that don’t burn easily: washing machines, brick chimney stacks, concrete garden statues of frogs and angels, though a few still stood, unharmed. By Lake Madrone, on the main road of Berry Creek, a half-dozen unscathed wood homes stood sentinel over the ash-covered water, where frogs splashed among white lotuses. Nearby, two sleek horses, one black and one bay, stood at the fence of a green pasture, well watered, gazing at a burned field just feet away.
By Friday, the North Complex fire had scorched more than 254,000 acres and forced some 20,000 residents in Plumas, Butte and Yuba counties from their homes. Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart said that the fire is still active and that firefighters are concentrating on containing it around an area below Berry Creek called Kelly Ridge, that if lost could act as a “gateway” for the fire to reach Oroville. But weather conditions have softened, and firefighters were making progress on containment.
Kendall Hill, 15, sat in a camp chair in a parking lot with his dad Thursday near the turn off to Kelly Ridge, helping friends give out free hot dogs and chips to exhausted first responders, some working nearly round the clock. Hill fled his house in Berry Creek Tuesday night, leaving before flames arrived. His home survived, but some of his family in the area lost theirs.
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“It’s sad, emotional,” he said, exhaustion in his eyes. “They just have to go through it as the days go by.”
His neighbor from Berry Creek, Ginni Weed, sat in a chair next to him, and reached out to touch the teen’s hand. Many from Berry Creek described the isolated village as having a community where everyone was “like family.”
Weed grew up in Berry Creek, raised her kids there, she said. She felt relieved to be passing out food.
“It’s better than sitting home sulking,” she said. “It hurts bad.”
On Friday, resident Will Cotter began a fundraising drive for another fellow resident: volunteer fire chief Reed Rankin.
Berry Creek volunteer fire chief Reed Rankin lost his home while battling the Bear fire. (From Will Cotter)
Head of the volunteer department for decades, Rankin has been manning the local station nearly alone since the coronavirus outbreak began and Tuesday night drove through town warning residents to leave while his own home burned, said Cotter.
Cotter said that though his house burned as well, he is insured and “will be fine.” Rankin, though, lacked insurance, he said, and also lost the truck and tools he used for his pump business.
Rankin is still out fighting the blaze, and Cotter hasn’t been able to reach him since a brief phone call Thursday, but when he learned of Rankin’s loss, “it was the first time I cried through this whole thing,” he said, describing Rankin as “a big gruff guy” who has “been there for everybody all the time.”
“I know everybody needs help, but I mean, this dude who has given so much, we have to help him out,” said Cotter. “He’s old school. He’s not going to ask for anything.”
For Roe-Zurz, Friday was about a place he loved that now exists only in memory, and the people who made it matter. Though he has been in school and traveling abroad, he considers Berry Creek home. He spent June and July in Berry Creek visiting his family, and is thankful he did.
“I am so grateful for that time,” he said, recalling tranquil walks with his mother through the hush of tall pines. “She’s just an incredible spirit.”


latimes--2020-09-11--Pasadena chief names officer who fatally shot Anthony McClain; autopsy shows victim was struck twice

The Pasadena police chief has identified Edwin Dumaguindin as the officer who fatally shot Anthony McClain during a traffic stop last month .
The naming of the officer comes after an autopsy released Thursday revealed that McClain , a 32-year-old Black man , was shot twice — not once as initially indicated by police .
McClain suffered one wound in the lower right quarter of his back and a graze wound to his left shoulder as he ran from the police .
He died hours later at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena .
Coroner ’ s officials found that the bullet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hitting his right lung before coming out of his chest and creating fatal blood loss .
Police Chief John Perez , who released police videos of the shooting following the traffic stop , said the fleeing McClain can be seen holding a gun in his waistband as he bolts from the passenger seat of the car , and that he then held it in his left hand as he ran .
Attorneys for McClain ’ s family say he was holding his belt buckle and that a gun recovered across the street is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not clearly visible in the video footage released by the Police Department , but McClain is seen with his hand at his waist as he begins to run .
Carrie Harper , an attorney for McClain ’ s family , has also contested a coroner ’ s account that officers rendered aid to McClain , saying they did not address his chest wound before paramedics arrived .
Harper also said an officer put his knee on McClain ’ s back .
Harper sent a letter to the coroner ’ s office complaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police version into the public narrative and then a year down the line the detailed ‘ notes ’ paints a different picture.
” In releasing the officer ’ s identity Thursday evening , the chief in a statement reiterated that McClain was armed with a gun and made the decision to flee from the scene of the traffic stop .
The department has not revealed forensic evidence tying McClain to the weapon but has said a witness saw him toss it across the street as he ran .
The department has repeatedly delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite a public records request by The Times about the Aug. 15 shooting that spurred several protests , legal claims against the city and calls for better oversight of the department , which has a history of shooting Black men .
Under California law , police officers ’ names are public information unless the department can show a specific threat against the individual .
Confronted with Dumaguindin ’ s name by a Times reporter , the department on Wednesday declined to confirm his identity , citing threats against another officer who had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledged in a statement that he delayed the release because of concerns over the officer ’ s safety .
He said that another officer wrongly associated with the shooting was the subject of social media threats , including one that declared the officer “ needs to die.
” Perez , in his statement , said he made the decision to release the name “ in order to prevent any further dangerous and/or false rumors.
” Harper , a well-known civil rights attorney , early in the week posted Dumaguindin ’ s identity on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using a still image taken from video from the scene .
“ This incident is undoubtedly a tragedy for the McClain family and the officer involved , ” Perez said .

The Pasadena police chief has identified Edwin Dumaguindin as the officer who fatally shot Anthony McClain during a traffic stop last month.
The naming of the officer comes after an autopsy released Thursday revealed that McClain, a 32-year-old Black man, was shot twice — not once as initially indicated by police.
McClain suffered one wound in the lower right quarter of his back and a graze wound to his left shoulder as he ran from the police. He died hours later at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. Coroner’s officials found that the bullet to the back traveled through McClain, hitting his right lung before coming out of his chest and creating fatal blood loss.
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Police Chief John Perez, who released police videos of the shooting following the traffic stop, said the fleeing McClain can be seen holding a gun in his waistband as he bolts from the passenger seat of the car, and that he then held it in his left hand as he ran.
Attorneys for McClain’s family say he was holding his belt buckle and that a gun recovered across the street is not tied to him. A gun is not clearly visible in the video footage released by the Police Department, but McClain is seen with his hand at his waist as he begins to run.
Caree Harper, an attorney for McClain’s family, has also contested a coroner’s account that officers rendered aid to McClain, saying they did not address his chest wound before paramedics arrived. Harper also said an officer put his knee on McClain’s back. Harper sent a letter to the coroner’s office complaining that it “cuts and pastes the police version into the public narrative and then a year down the line the detailed ‘notes’ paints a different picture.”
In releasing the officer’s identity Thursday evening, the chief in a statement reiterated that McClain was armed with a gun and made the decision to flee from the scene of the traffic stop. The department has not revealed forensic evidence tying McClain to the weapon but has said a witness saw him toss it across the street as he ran.
The department has repeatedly delayed revealing the officer’s identity, despite a public records request by The Times about the Aug. 15 shooting that spurred several protests, legal claims against the city and calls for better oversight of the department, which has a history of shooting Black men.
Under California law, police officers’ names are public information unless the department can show a specific threat against the individual.
Confronted with Dumaguindin’s name by a Times reporter, the department on Wednesday declined to confirm his identity, citing threats against another officer who had been previously associated with the shooting.
Perez acknowledged in a statement that he delayed the release because of concerns over the officer’s safety. He said that another officer wrongly associated with the shooting was the subject of social media threats, including one that declared the officer “needs to die.”
Perez, in his statement, said he made the decision to release the name “in order to prevent any further dangerous and/or false rumors.”
Harper, a well-known civil rights attorney, early in the week posted Dumaguindin’s identity on her law firm’s Facebook page using a still image taken from video from the scene.
“This incident is undoubtedly a tragedy for the McClain family and the officer involved,” Perez said.


latimes--2020-09-11--'Sad, tragic loss for all Californians': Death toll in state fires at 20

A record-shattering rash of wildfires is continuing to take a devastating and deadly toll on California , even as crews report some progress in their battle against the largest firestorm in modern state history .
The collective scale of the infernos that have scarred the state over the last month is staggering : at least 20 fatalities , tens of thousands of structures destroyed and more than 3.1 million acres burned — the most recorded in a single year .
The loss has been most profound from the North Complex fire near Oroville in Butte County , which is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the deadliest wildfires in state history , according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
Among those killed was 16-year-old Josiah Williams .
An additional 16 people have been reported missing in the area of the fire , which has burned more than 252,000 acres and was 23 % contained as of Friday morning .
Steve Kaufmann , a spokesman for the fire ’ s response team , said Thursday that 2,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged , though that number may increase after crews further assess the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday near the community of Happy Camp in the burn area of the Slater fire , which has chewed through more than 136,000 acres in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties and across the border into Oregon .
That blaze remains 0 % contained .
“ In total , there have been 20 fatalities on this series of fires that have been burning since Aug. 15 , ” said Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant , calling the toll “ a very , very sad and tragic loss for all Californians.
” Officials also saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire , already the largest in state history .
That blaze has now scorched more than 491,000 acres in a remote area in and around Tehama County .
Abutting it to the north is the Elkhorn fire , burning in the Mendocino , Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests .
It has charred 255,309 acres .
For a time , online reports had combined the Elkhorn fire statistics with the August Complex fire umbrella — resulting in a mammoth merger listed at more than 746,000 acres .
But Kimberly Kaschalk , a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Friday morning that the combination was more a reflection of the unified command structure set up to manage all the blazes in the area , rather than an indication that the fires had physically combined .
“ I ’ m sure a lot of people are spitting out their coffee this morning when they see that , ” she said .
The online August Complex acreage figures were revised downward later in the morning .
The scope of this year ’ s fire season has been both historic and horrifying .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest wildfires have started in the past month or so , according to Cal Fire .
Within the last week , frontline firefighters have had to contend with a record-breaking heat wave and howling winds — a noxious combination that fueled explosive fire growth statewide .
Many officials and experts believe such extreme weather conditions are the result of climate change .
“ If you do not believe in science , I hope you believe in observed evidence , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Friday as he surveyed damage in the Oroville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community , you walk around this park around Lake Oroville , you see the reality — a reality that has set in in this state in very indelible ways .
And that is , we ’ re in the midst of a climate emergency .
We ’ re in the midst of a climate crisis .
We are experiencing weather conditions the likes of which we ’ ve never experienced in our lifetime .
We ’ re experiencing what so many people predicted decades and decades ago , but all of that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that reality , Newsom said , are that “ the hots are getting a lot hotter , the dries are getting a lot drier , and the wets are getting a lot wetter.
” In California , he added , “ we have to own that reality , and we have to own a response to that reality.
” “ This is a climate damn emergency , ” he said .
“ This is real , and it ’ s happening.
” Despite the challenges , California fire officials say they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are currently improving .
“ The smoke layer covering much [ of ] Northern California will help maintain cooler temperatures into the weekend , and an onshore [ air ] flow next week will help increase humidity , ” Cal Fire officials wrote in a situation report Friday .
“ In Southern California , desert regions will remain dry and warm , with the mountains and coastal regions experiencing an onshore flow that is helping with humidity recovery and seasonal temperatures.
” Though the near-term forecast is promising , officials warned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roughly 14,800 firefighters are still battling 28 major wildfires burning statewide , according to Cal Fire .
“ Don ’ t let these cooler temperatures fool you .
Do not let your guard down , ” Berlant said Friday .
“ Historically , it is September and October when we experience our largest and our most damaging wildfires.
” There are signs of progress in some areas .
The El Dorado fire near Yucaipa has burned almost 14,000 acres and was 31 % contained as of Friday morning .
In San Diego County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border remains at 17,665 acres and is 39 % contained , according to Cal Fire .
All evacuation orders , evacuation warnings and road closures in the area of the Valley fire were lifted Friday afternoon .
For the El Dorado fire , Yucaipa police also lifted the evacuation orders for all areas east of Jefferson Street and south of Carter Street .
Officials are also now reporting 6 % containment on the Creek fire , which has burned almost 176,000 acres and destroyed an estimated 369 structures in the Sierra foothills northeast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the San Gabriel Mountains above Monrovia is also now 6 % contained .
It has charred more than 26,000 acres .
Smoke from that fire again blanketed parts of Los Angeles County on Friday , prompting air quality advisories for much of the region .
Areas along the 210 Freeway from Pasadena to Rancho Cucamonga are likely to see the highest levels of particulate matter , according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
“ Even in areas far from fires or areas not covered by a smoke advisory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ash from a wildfire , avoid or limit outdoor activities , ” the district said .
In the San Francisco Bay Area , which has been socked in with smoke this week , local police departments sent alerts to residents about hazardous air quality .
San Francisco opened relief centers for homeless people Friday and urged everyone else to stay inside with windows and doors shut .
Air quality throughout much of the region was at “ very unhealthy ” levels Friday .
Mary Ellen Carroll , executive director of San Francisco ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during an online news conference that older people , those with respiratory illnesses and children were especially at risk .
She urged residents not to use leaf blowers , barbecues or hair spray , to avoid indoor painting and to use exhaust fans while cooking .
“ We are asking people to stay indoors with windows and doors closed , ” she said .
Times staff writers Hayley Smith , Maura Dolan and Colleen Shalby contributed to this report .

Luke Money, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Joseph Serna, Paige St. John

A record-shattering rash of wildfires is continuing to take a devastating and deadly toll on California, even as crews report some progress in their battle against the largest firestorm in modern state history.
The collective scale of the infernos that have scarred the state over the last month is staggering: at least 19 fatalities, tens of thousands of structures destroyed and more than 3.1 million acres burned — the most recorded in a single year and all but 500,000 acres since Aug. 16.
The loss has been most profound from the North Complex fire near Oroville in Butte County, which is now blamed for nine deaths, placing it among the deadliest wildfires in state history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
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Among those killed were 16-year-old Josiah Williams and 77-year-old Millicent Catarancuic. Officials said Williams was believed to have been attempting to evacuate in his own vehicle and that Catarancuic had been aware of the fire but chose to stay.
Officials revised the North Complex fire’s death toll Friday night from 10 to nine people. Butte County Sheriff-Coroner Kory Honea said deputies had found what they thought were burned human remains in a storage shed. Anthropologists later determined it was an anatomical model of a skeleton made of resin, and a resident who owned the property confirmed that he had used the model while studying anthropology.
An additional 19 people have been reported missing in the area of the fire, which has burned more than 252,000 acres and was 21% contained as of Friday night.
Steve Kaufmann, a spokesman for the fire’s response team, said Thursday that 2,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged, though that number may increase after crews further assess the area.
A second death was confirmed Thursday near the community of Happy Camp in the burn area of the Slater fire, which has chewed through more than 136,000 acres in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties and across the border into Oregon. That blaze remains 0% contained.
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Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant called the overall death toll “a very, very sad and tragic loss for all Californians.”
Officials also saw further growth in the monstrous August Complex fire, already the largest in state history. That blaze has now scorched more than 491,000 acres in a remote area in and around Tehama County.
Abutting it to the north is the Elkhorn fire, burning in the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests. It has charred 255,309 acres.
For a time, online reports had combined the Elkhorn fire statistics with the August Complex fire umbrella — resulting in a mammoth merger listed at more than 746,000 acres.
But Kimberly Kaschalk, a public information officer for the August Complex response, said Friday morning that the combination was more a reflection of the unified command structure set up to manage all the blazes in the area, rather than an indication that the fires had physically combined.
“I’m sure a lot of people are spitting out their coffee this morning when they see that,” she said.
The online August Complex acreage figures were revised downward later in the morning.
The scope of this year’s fire season has been both historic and horrifying. Six of the state’s 20 largest wildfires have started in the last month or so, according to Cal Fire.
Within the last week, front-line firefighters have had to contend with a record-breaking heat wave and howling winds — a noxious combination that fueled explosive fire growth statewide.
Many officials and experts believe such extreme weather conditions are the result of climate change.
“If you do not believe in science, I hope you believe in observed evidence,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday as he surveyed damage in the Oroville area.
“You walk around this community, you walk around this park around Lake Oroville, you see the reality — a reality that has set in in this state in very indelible ways. And that is, we’re in the midst of a climate emergency. We’re in the midst of a climate crisis. We are experiencing weather conditions the likes of which we’ve never experienced in our lifetime. We’re experiencing what so many people predicted decades and decades ago, but all of that, now, is reality.”
The repercussions of that reality, Newsom said, are that “the hots are getting a lot hotter, the dries are getting a lot drier, and the wets are getting a lot wetter.” In California, he added, “we have to own that reality, and we have to own a response to that reality.”
“This is a climate damn emergency,” he said. “This is real, and it’s happening.”
Despite the challenges, California fire officials say they have continued to gain ground amid weather conditions that are currently improving.
“The smoke layer covering much [of] Northern California will help maintain cooler temperatures into the weekend, and an onshore [air] flow next week will help increase humidity,” Cal Fire officials wrote in a situation report Friday. “In Southern California, desert regions will remain dry and warm, with the mountains and coastal regions experiencing an onshore flow that is helping with humidity recovery and seasonal temperatures.”
Though the near-term forecast is promising, officials warned that fire season is far from over. Roughly 14,800 firefighters are still battling 28 major wildfires burning statewide, according to Cal Fire.
“Don’t let these cooler temperatures fool you. Do not let your guard down,” Berlant said Friday. “Historically, it is September and October when we experience our largest and our most damaging wildfires.”
Climate & Environment Your questions about air quality answered The air around Southern California feels like smoke soup because of wildfires. What does that mean for your health and daily routines?
There are signs of progress in some areas.
The El Dorado fire near Yucaipa has burned almost 14,000 acres and was 37% contained as of Friday night. In San Diego County, the Valley fire near the Mexican border remains at 17,665 acres and is 55% contained, according to Cal Fire.
All evacuation orders, evacuation warnings and road closures in the area of the Valley fire were lifted Friday afternoon. For the El Dorado fire, Yucaipa police also lifted the evacuation orders for all areas east of Jefferson Street and south of Carter Street.
Officials are also now reporting 6% containment on the Creek fire, which has burned almost 176,000 acres and destroyed an estimated 369 structures in the Sierra foothills northeast of Fresno.
The Bobcat fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains above Monrovia is also now 6% contained. It has charred more than 26,000 acres.
Smoke from that fire again blanketed parts of Los Angeles County on Friday, prompting air quality advisories for much of the region. Areas along the 210 Freeway from Pasadena to Rancho Cucamonga are likely to see the highest levels of particulate matter, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
“Even in areas far from fires or areas not covered by a smoke advisory, if you can smell smoke or see ash from a wildfire, avoid or limit outdoor activities,” the district said.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, which has been socked in with smoke this week, local police departments sent alerts to residents about hazardous air quality.
San Francisco opened relief centers for homeless people Friday and urged everyone else to stay inside with windows and doors shut. Air quality throughout much of the region was at “very unhealthy” levels Friday.
Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of San Francisco’s Department of Emergency Services, said during an online news conference that older people, those with respiratory illnesses and children were especially at risk.
She urged residents not to use leaf blowers, barbecues or hair spray, to avoid indoor painting and to use exhaust fans while cooking.
“We are asking people to stay indoors with windows and doors closed,” she said.
Times staff writers Hayley Smith, Maura Dolan, Colleen Shalby and Andrea Castillo contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-11--Video shows O.C. sheriff's deputy stealing from dead man's house, authorities say

An Orange County sheriff ’ s deputy has been arrested on suspicion of burglary after authorities say he stole items from a Yorba Linda home where an elderly man had recently died .
Officials allege the deputy — identified as Steve Hortz , who has been with the department 12 years — broke into the home at least three times , with his visits captured on surveillance video provided to the Sheriff ’ s Department by an estate attorney Wednesday .
In the early morning of Aug. 10 and 16 , Hortz “ removed items including weapon safes , ceiling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the home , according to a Sheriff ’ s Department statement .
He also entered the property while in uniform on July 27 , authorities say , though it is unclear whether any items were taken at that time .
Hortz had initially responded to a call for service at the home on July 20 regarding a man in his 70s who had died , apparently from natural causes , sheriff ’ s officials said .
Hortz was arrested Thursday morning and has been placed on administrative leave , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they plan to investigate previous calls that he handled .
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes pledged to “ hold accountable deputies who do not honor the oath they swore to uphold ” and said that “ criminal actions by a member of my staff will not be tolerated and are not indicative of the service we provide to Yorba Linda , or any other contract city.
” “ The suspected criminal actions of this deputy are a violation of public trust , are inexcusable and intolerable , ” Barnes said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held accountable through a swift and thorough process , including a full criminal and internal administrative investigation .
”

Deputy Steve Hortz has been arrested and placed on administrative leave in connection with a Yorba Linda burglary.
An Orange County sheriff’s deputy has been arrested on suspicion of burglary after authorities say he stole items from a Yorba Linda home where an elderly man had recently died.
Officials allege the deputy — identified as Steve Hortz, who has been with the department 12 years — broke into the home at least three times, with his visits captured on surveillance video provided to the Sheriff’s Department by an estate attorney Wednesday.
In the early morning of Aug. 10 and 16, Hortz “removed items including weapon safes, ceiling fans and cases containing unknown items” from the home, according to a Sheriff’s Department statement.
He also entered the property while in uniform on July 27, authorities say, though it is unclear whether any items were taken at that time.
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Hortz had initially responded to a call for service at the home on July 20 regarding a man in his 70s who had died, apparently from natural causes, sheriff’s officials said.
Hortz was arrested Thursday morning and has been placed on administrative leave, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Officials said they plan to investigate previous calls that he handled.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes pledged to “hold accountable deputies who do not honor the oath they swore to uphold” and said that “criminal actions by a member of my staff will not be tolerated and are not indicative of the service we provide to Yorba Linda, or any other contract city.”
“The suspected criminal actions of this deputy are a violation of public trust, are inexcusable and intolerable,” Barnes said in a statement Thursday. “This deputy will be held accountable through a swift and thorough process, including a full criminal and internal administrative investigation.”


latimes--2020-09-11--Air quality nose-dives across Southern California, with smoke forecast through the weekend

Southern California air quality took a nosedive Friday as smoke from wildfires up and down the state choked the region with unhealthy levels of lung-damaging pollution .
The worst pollution since the record-setting firestorm began last month has been in the Bay Area and the Central Valley , where millions have spent weeks exposed to air made unhealthful by wildfire smoke .
The smoke has been so thick in some areas that it ’ s been in the “ very unhealthy ” or even “ hazardous ” range on the Air Quality Index .
Southern California had been faring better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flowing over the entire West Coast and extending far out over the Pacific Ocean .
Things took a turn for the worse Friday , with levels of fine particle pollution — tiny , health-damaging soot particles known as PM2.5 — violating health standards across most of the Los Angeles Basin of 17 million people .
As of Friday afternoon , pollution was highest in areas of the San Gabriel Valley downwind of the Bobcat Fire , where PM2.5 was in the “ very unhealthy ” range .
Air quality was unhealthy across much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central and South L.A. and southeast L.A. County .
Smoke advisories will remain in effect throughout the day and likely into the weekend , said Philip Fine , deputy executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
Fine said the unpredictability of wildfires — including how long they will burn , how hot they will be and how much smoke they will create — make it difficult to forecast air quality beyond one or two days .
But , he said , air quality over the weekend will likely not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , everybody is experiencing this , ” Fine said .
“ It looks like it ’ s overcast , but a lot of that is smoke from the Northern California and Oregon wildfires .
They have created a plume up and down the West coast that ’ s over a thousand miles wide.
” The plume is “ generally moving south , ” he said , although that can change at any moment .
“ If you ’ re looking at the air monitoring data in northern California and Oregon right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widespread and bad , ” Fine said .
“ Thankfully , we ’ re not experiencing it at that level down in Southern California , at least [ not ] as widespread.
” Yet poor air quality is being felt by many people in the areas near the Bobcat fire .
Smoke has contributed to the closure of eight parks in Los Angeles County : Eaton Canyon , Devil ’ s Punchbowl , Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park , Lario Staging Area , Marshall Canyon , Peck Road Water Conservation Park , San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dam Recreation Area .
Here is some general advice from the the and the • People with heart or lung disease ( including asthma ) , the elderly and children should take extra precautions , as they may be more likely to experience poor health if they breathe in wildfire smoke .
• Run your air conditioner if you have one .
Make sure it has a clean filter and that it is recirculating the indoor air to prevent bringing additional smoke inside .
• Create a clean air space in your home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of or in addition to your air conditioner .
Do this in one or more rooms with the doors and windows closed .
• Avoid using a whole-house fan or a swamp cooler with an outside air intake .
• Avoid using indoor or outdoor wood-burning appliances , including fireplaces and candles .
• Do not rely on dust masks for protection .
Paper “ dust masks ” can block large particles such as sawdust but do not protect your lungs from the small particles or gases in wildfire smoke .
Disposable respirators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer some protection if they are worn properly and have a tight fit .
As for the cloth masks many are relying on for COVID-19 protection , Fine said they ’ re not very effective for small particulate matter from wildfire smoke , though they may provide some relief from larger particles such as ash .
N95 masks are better , but not foolproof , he said .
“ The better thing to do , if you ’ re being exposed , if you ’ re feeling it in your lungs , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said , “ is to try to stay indoors and avoid vigorous , physical activity outdoors , or even indoors in some cases.
” Extreme heat and fires have brought the worst air quality in decades to Southern California .
Fine said the confluence of so many wildfires and so much smoke is a rare combination , creating extreme conditions .
Lung-damaging ozone pollution in Los Angeles reached its highest levels in a generation and set records in other parts of Southern California during the blistering Labor Day weekend heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ozone pollution spiked to 185 parts per billion in downtown Los Angeles at midday Sunday , according to South Coast Air Quality Management District monitoring data .
It was the highest hourly reading in Southern California since 2003 and the highest in downtown L.A. in 26 years .

Ash- and smoke-filled air from the wildfires eerily shrouds the sun above Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove.
Southern California air quality took a nosedive Friday as smoke from wildfires up and down the state choked the region with unhealthy levels of lung-damaging pollution.
The worst pollution since the record-setting firestorm began last month has been in the Bay Area and the Central Valley, where millions have spent weeks exposed to air made unhealthful by wildfire smoke.
The smoke has been so thick in some areas that it’s been in the “very unhealthy” or even “hazardous” range on the Air Quality Index. Southern California had been faring better, despite the massive blanket of smoke flowing over the entire West Coast and extending far out over the Pacific Ocean.
Things took a turn for the worse Friday, with levels of fine particle pollution — tiny, health-damaging soot particles known as PM2.5 — violating health standards across most of the Los Angeles Basin.
As of Friday afternoon, pollution was highest in areas of the San Gabriel Valley downwind of the Bobcat Fire, where PM2.5 was in the “very unhealthy” range. Air quality was unhealthy across much of the Los Angeles area, including Central and South L.A. and southeast L.A. County.
Smoke advisories will remain in effect throughout the day and likely into the weekend, said Philip Fine, deputy executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
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Fine said the unpredictability of wildfires — including how long they will burn, how hot they will be and how much smoke they will create — make it difficult to forecast air quality beyond one or two days. But, he said, air quality over the weekend will likely not be great.
“Throughout Southern California, everybody is experiencing this,” Fine said. “It looks like it’s overcast, but a lot of that is smoke from the Northern California and Oregon wildfires. They have created a plume up and down the West coast that’s over a thousand miles wide.”
The plume is “generally moving south,” he said, although that can change at any moment.
“If you’re looking at the air monitoring data in northern California and Oregon right now, I’ve never seen anything that widespread and bad,” Fine said. “Thankfully, we’re not experiencing it at that level down in Southern California, at least [not] as widespread.”
Wildfire smoke continues to plague large portions of the Western U.S.
GeoColor imagery via GOES-West: https://t.co/BFrOg3IITN. pic.twitter.com/yOLHYVcJoK — CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) September 11, 2020
Yet poor air quality is being felt by many people in the areas near the Bobcat fire.
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Smoke has contributed to the closure of eight parks in Los Angeles County: Eaton Canyon, Devil’s Punchbowl, Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, Lario Staging Area, Marshall Canyon, Peck Road Water Conservation Park, San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area.
1 / 23 Brooks Hubbard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes photos from the historic North Broadway Bridge over the Los Angeles River Tuesday morning as smoke and ash from the Bobcat fire cloak the area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 23 Elijah Simpson practices shooting hoops against a backdrop of smokey skies from the Bobcat Fire at Angel’s Gate Park in the San Pedro on September 16, 2020. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 23 A helicopter fights the Bobcat fire burning dangerously close to Mt. Wilson Observatory. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 23 An aerial view of Dodger Stadium and the downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset is obscured by smoke, ash and smog on Sept. 14. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 23 Visitors check their photos at Griffith Observatory with a smoky view of the Hollywood sign behind them. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 23 Two people get ready to surf as a hazy red sun sets off Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 23 Smoke from the Bobcat fire burning in the Angeles National Forest blankets the Southland. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 23 An airplane flies through smoky skies in downtown Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 23 A smoky haze envelopes Santa Monica Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 23 Beachgoers walk along the shoreline in Laguna Beach beneath a hazy sky. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 23 A crow on a cypress tree in Garden Grove is silhouetted by a sun obscured by ash from Southland wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 23 The sky is gray over the Santa Monica Pier as a family plays in the breakwater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 23 A man walks his dog past the historic lifeguard tower in Laguna Beach as the sun is obscured by smoke from wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 23 An upbeat message on the South Coast Cinemas marquee in Laguna Beach is dimmed by the smoky air. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 23 Surfers near the Manhattan Beach Pier under a smoky sunset. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 23 Gray skies over the Santa Monica Pier. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 23 A hazy sun is seen behind the Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 23 Despite the unhealthful air quality, Fabian Ortez of Riverside enjoys an afternoon of fishing off the pier in Seal Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 23 The Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 23 A bicyclist travels along the 1st Street Bridge as smoke hovers east of downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 23 Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Azusa as it burns in Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 23 The Los Angeles skyline is shrouded in smoke from the Bobcat fire as seen from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 23 Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Kare Park in Irwindale. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Here is some general advice from the Air Quality Management District, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Tips:
Stay indoors, if possible.
Keep windows and doors closed.
Check local public health alerts and the Southern California air quality map.
and the Find an air-conditioned place, like a designated L.A. County Cooling Center.
People with heart or lung disease (including asthma), the elderly and children should take extra precautions, as they may be more likely to experience poor health if they breathe in wildfire smoke.
Avoid vigorous physical activity.
Run your air conditioner if you have one. Make sure it has a clean filter and that it is recirculating the indoor air to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.
Create a clean air space in your home by using a portable air cleaner instead of or in addition to your air conditioner. Do this in one or more rooms with the doors and windows closed.
Avoid using a whole-house fan or a swamp cooler with an outside air intake.
Avoid using indoor or outdoor wood-burning appliances, including fireplaces and candles.
Do not rely on dust masks for protection. Paper “dust masks” can block large particles such as sawdust but do not protect your lungs from the small particles or gases in wildfire smoke. Disposable respirators such as N-95 or P-100 respirators can offer some protection if they are worn properly and have a tight fit.
Climate & Environment Your questions about air quality answered The air around Southern California feels like smoke soup because of wildfires. What does that mean for your health and daily routines?
As for the cloth masks many are relying on for COVID-19 protection, Fine said they’re not very effective for small particulate matter from wildfire smoke, though they may provide some relief from larger particles such as ash. N95 masks are better, but not foolproof, he said.
“The better thing to do, if you’re being exposed, if you’re feeling it in your lungs, if you see or smell smoke or ash,” he said, “is to try to stay indoors and avoid vigorous, physical activity outdoors, or even indoors in some cases.”
Extreme heat and fires have brought the worst air quality in decades to Southern California.
Fine said the confluence of so many wildfires and so much smoke is a rare combination, creating extreme conditions.
Lung-damaging ozone pollution in Los Angeles reached its highest levels in a generation and set records in other parts of Southern California during the blistering Labor Day weekend heat wave, air quality readings show.
Ozone pollution spiked to 185 parts per billion in downtown Los Angeles at midday Sunday, according to South Coast Air Quality Management District monitoring data. It was the highest hourly reading in Southern California since 2003 and the highest in downtown L.A. in 26 years.