Benicia Air Quality Concerns
I’m Ed Smith, a Benicia personal injury lawyer. Due to wildfires that continue to spread across multiple counties in the North Bay- including Solano, Napa, Marin, and Sonoma- heavy smoke has poured into both Benicia and Vallejo. These pollutants have caused breathing problems for at-risk individuals as well as prompted schools to shut down due to public safety concerns.
The Fires
The wildfires that are thought to have been started by a downed power line began on the night of Sunday, October 9, 2017, and spread quickly due to conditions experts are calling “a perfect storm.” Low humidity, strong winds, and a large amount of dry grass due to heavy rains in the previous winter all contributed to a fire that spread violently and continues to grow. Authorities have reported that, in some areas, the blaze is spreading quicker than firefighters are able to run, making combating the fire extremely dangerous.
So far, 29 individuals have lost their lives because of the fire, around 380 individuals are missing, hundreds of thousands of acres have burned, and thousands are staying in evacuation centers after voluntary and mandatory evacuations.
Air Conditions
According to Lisa Fasano, a representative of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the smoke released by the wildfires has made air pollution so high that much of the Bay Area is currently comparable to a high pollution day in smog-stricken cities in China such as Beijing.
Most areas, including Vallejo and Benicia, currently have an air quality index of over 150, meaning that the air is unhealthy to breathe and may mean problems for high-risk individuals such as the elderly, children, and people with respiratory issues.
Fasano noted that breathing in small particulates released by the fires can exacerbate conditions such as asthma and emphysema. Furthermore, particulates released by fires are so small that than can bypass the pulmonary system and enter the bloodstream directly, causing a variety of health issues.
Warnings
Residents of Solano County have been advised by officials to stay inside buildings with air conditioning units. Homeowners have been advised to run their air conditioners after closing the air intake valves of their units. Solano County residents have also been advised to limit outdoor activities and, if you are at risk of health complications related to the smoke in the air, consider leaving the area until the smoke clears.
The unhealthy air conditions in the Bay Area are expected to last throughout the weekend.
School Closure
On Wednesday, October 10, 2017, Benicia Unified School District ended school early and called for parents to pick up their children. BUSD, as well as schools districts throughout Solano County, are closed until Tuesday when official hope that air quality will improve to safe levels.
Burn Injuries
With this particular emergency, the risk of burn injuries is ever present. My website, AutoAccident.com, contains lots of valuable information about how to care for burn injuries, how to rehabilitate after receiving burn injuries, how to transport individuals with burn injuries, and more.
More from Ed Smith, Benicia Personal Injury Lawyer
Benicia Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Benicia personal injury lawyer. If you have received an injury because of another party’s negligent actions, you may be entitled to compensation. If you think this might be the case, call me at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice with no obligation. I can also be reached online at AutoAccident.com.
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