Close to a week has gone by since the Camp Fire began engulfing the Northern California town of Paradise, and the resulting smoke from the fire continues to linger above San Jose State University.
Forty-eight deaths have been confirmed as a result of the fire with hundreds more still missing, according to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea.
As of Nov. 13, Cal Fire has reported 30 percent of the fire is contained though the cause is still under investigation.
“Firefighters continued to hold established containment lines, provided structure protection and will continue to provide protection throughout daytime operations,” the agency stated.
When the blaze arose on Nov. 8, faculty and graduate students from San Jose State’s Fire Weather Research Lab set out to examine it, and live tweeted from the scene.
“On the fire line at Pentz Rd, Relative Humidity [is at] 13%, Winds gusting to 18 mph,” they tweeted that afternoon.
The Environmental Protection Agency cited a safe relative humidity level to be between 30 and 50 percent. Low humidity increases the risk of flu, dry skin and respiratory problems.
After being on the scene until the early hours of the morning, the Fire Weather Research Lab returned to SJSU when the group’s generator broke and they could no longer measure the wind velocity.
Director of the lab, professor of meteorology and climate science Craig Clements, presented some of the information gathered by the team at the eighth International Conference on Forest Fire Research starting Nov. 9 in Portugal and could not be reached for comment.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has put out an air quality alert through Nov. 16, alerting residents to limit their time outdoors and keep windows and doors closed whenever possible.
Because of the air quality and fire conditions, Chico State University has suspended classes until Nov. 26, following Thanksgiving break. Students will be allowed to remain living in the residence halls for the time being.
Economics senior Paul Hawkins said he sees no reason to wear a breathing mask since the air quality hasn’t affected his daily life at all.
“It’s a little unpleasant to look at, but I see that the smoke is clearing up.” Hawkins continued, “I kind of like the sky when it’s a little foggy, it puts me in a different mood.”
The Student Wellness Center recommends that students use a breathing mask with two straps called a “particulate respirator” for protection against wildfire smoke. Masks with only one strap or with straps that hook around the ears will not protect the lungs from wildfire smoke.
The air quality in San Jose on Tuesday peaked at 157 on the Environmental Protection Agency’s index scale, which is 100 points above what is considered healthy.
Unusually high winds are causing the smoke from fire that burned through 125,000 acres in Butte County to move southwest toward the Bay Area, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
“If you have heart or lung disease, if you are an older adult, or if you have children, talk with your doctor about whether and when you should leave the area,” the office stated.
The weekend was especially rough, with National Weather Services issuing a “red flag warning” in San Francisco. It stated that breezy winds and dry conditions will persist over the highest peaks and ridges in the area.
San Joaquin Valley’s Air Pollution Control District has also issued an air quality alert that will remain in effect until the fires are completely extinguished.
San Jose resident Tracey Cheng said that the last time she had experienced poor air quality was in Beijing, China.
“I used to live there and the smoke in the air was even worse,” Cheng said. “At least the breeze here in San Jose is cold, Beijing was uncomfortably hot and humid.”
Dry conditions are expected to continue in Northern California. According to Weather.com, there is zero chance of precipitation in San Jose until at least Nov. 20.
