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2020 Online fire and smoke maps

geepers

Skiing the powder
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We are now at the near breaking point of we humans capability dealing with all the current fires. Most in rural areas are sadly just going to burn and burn while firefighters focus on saving urban structures. To understand where fires are active, go to this satellite thermal imaging link that is set up for Vacaville. Some brothers just out of an evacuation live in Vacaville where ash is everywhere for miles:


In the upper left of the window "Find address or place" field, enter Boulder Creek and the map will switch to that Santa Cruz Mountains area that is where smoke in my west San Jose area is mostly from. Likewise enter wherever location to move the map elsewhere.

To understand where wind has been blowing smoke go to this NWS satellite page link:


Shows there is smoke across California and the West. I'd say the most smoke in my lifetime as a native though because none of these many fires are wind driven that is more commonly the situation, it is not yet most disasterous.

This is another arcgis fire app that shows where fires and smoke are and how dense of smoke. Unlike the other arcgis link, this also shows all the small fires of which there are many more. If one mouse selects any fire spot, more info pops up.

!
@Ron was chatting with us earlier and saying the smoke is getting bad there.

Its pretty crazy here.
I'd say this map is pretty accurate from my view. From Dave's link above.
View attachment 108563

My sympathies to all affected by these wild fires. We lived through such crap times last southern hemi summer. Not a lot of fun and for the people directly affected often devastating.
 
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4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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Purple air has had us over 200 all day, worst I’ve ever experienced!
1881EE9F-9F77-49EA-AE3E-0F72AFAF520A.jpeg

National Forest closure has been extended through the 21st. Not that I would want to do any outdoor activities in this air but there are only a few strips of public land that one could even venture onto right now.
 

Jwrags

Aka pwdrhnd
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Purple air has had us over 200 all day, worst I’ve ever experienced!
View attachment 110334
National Forest closure has been extended through the 21st. Not that I would want to do any outdoor activities in this air but there are only a few strips of public land that one could even venture onto right now.
200 sounds pretty good. We have been sitting close to 400 today.:(:mask:
 

AmyPJ

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Purple air has had us over 200 all day, worst I’ve ever experienced!
View attachment 110334
National Forest closure has been extended through the 21st. Not that I would want to do any outdoor activities in this air but there are only a few strips of public land that one could even venture onto right now.
Time to head east!
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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A storm just rolled through here and things are already much better with purple air AQI numbers 70/80
 

AmyPJ

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A storm just rolled through here and things are already much better with purple air AQI numbers 70/80
Sounds like moderate air quality here all week. At least you can get out and play in the forests here. And FALL is popping right now.
 

Bad Bob

I golf worse than I ski.
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Playing golf this morning saw my shadow for the first time in 2 weeks and damn near dropped my club. The Puget Sound rain must have cleared it out. No rain here yet but they are saying tomorrow.
 

Joel

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I've been getting up every morning to see if I have mountains ( Windsor Colorado ). Figure if I can't see the mountains, I don't want to ride. Haven't ridden much this season. It has also impacted my glider flying, just not fun being in the smoke, plus there are restricted areas for the fire fighting activities.

Then I think back to growing up near L.A. in the 60s and 70s, These would have been considered good days ( visibility wise ), but that was smog, not smoke from fires.

Just check out the purple air site, interesting. Says right now things are not horrible here. I'll have to check it out mornings I want to ride.
 

nay

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Then I think back to growing up near L.A. in the 60s and 70s, These would have been considered good days ( visibility wise ), but that was smog, not smoke from fires.

The issue is actually pretty much the same - fine particulate less than 2.5 micrometers that get deep into the lungs and bloodstream.


It’s worth distinguishing between high atmospheric smoke that makes things hazy and ground level, although we can’t necessarily ‘see’ that it is only at higher atmospheric levels.
 

tball

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So what's the AQI number at which exercises outside isn't worth it? I've been using 100. Is that too high?

I was riding in the dark last night to take advantage of some clear air. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

IMG_20200920_193023_1.jpg


MVIMG_20200920_194754 (1).jpg
 

Plai

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We've been using 150 here at my club. Individual limits vary. Younger people seem to tolerate 150. Older 100. I'm older and an exception. I also prefer airnow (epa) over purpleair (private sensor company). Even though purpleair is more frequent, it seems under reporting when comparing against my nose.
 

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