Valley residents awoke to an unusual haze yesterday as smoke from Southern California's wildfires spread into the area, with visibility diminished due to blazes that continue their devastating march, such as the Bridge Fire, which has now engulfed over 47,000 acres and triggered mandatory evacuations. While some locals initially mistook the smog for summertime sandstorms, the reality of the wildfire smoke settling in prompted reactions ranging from surprise to alarm, "It’s really from smoke? Really? Oh, OK," one resident told FOX 10 Phoenix.
The atmospheric intruder impaired not just views, but also health, as the air quality index hit 145 in the west Valley, entering the range that's unhealthy for sensitive groups while Dr. Frank LoVecchio, an emergency room physician at Valleywise Health, underscored the threat of particulate matters the smoke carries, describing them as "Almost like little pieces of dirt that kind of get caught up in your lungs, and if they get caught up in your lungs, it's less area for oxygen to go in and carbon dioxide to go out," which can impede respiratory function, particularly hazardous for those with pre-existing conditions like asthma, he explained in an interview with 12 News.
The silver lining found by some amidst this air quality crisis is the promise of radiant sunsets, yet such small consolations do little to mitigate the risks posed by the dense smog which may prompt symptoms like a runny nose and cough, or go unnoticed until physical exertion reveals their insidious presence, as told by Dr. LoVecchio to 12 News. He also mentioned the long-term health implications of poor air quality, with pollution correlating to higher death rates and incidences of cancer.
While the National Weather Service forecasts that the smoke will persist through the weekend, the situation remains fluid dependent on the wildfires' trajectory. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has categorized yesterday's ozone as moderate but expects conditions to improve today, according to 12 News. In the interim, health officials advise those especially vulnerable to the hazy conditions to don an N95 mask and minimize exposure by limiting time outdoors and avoiding strenuous activities that necessitate heavy breathing.
