California’s Park Fire and Its Impact on Air Quality Nationwide
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1 min read
The 4th Largest Wildfire in California History
On July 24 of this year, firefighters and state officials received word that a fire had started in Butte County, just north of Sacramento. By the next day, the fire had swelled to over 120,000 acres.
Currently, the Park Fire has consumed over 428,000 acres and destroyed over 500 structures, surpassing 2020’s Lightning Complex fire to become the 4th largest wildfire in California’s history.
Firefighters from other states are helping to battle the blaze—a task made even more difficult due to especially dry and hot summer weather—bringing the total of assigned personnel to 6,378 people, all working tirelessly to subdue the fire. According to Cal Fire, the fire is now 34% contained.
Whenever there’s a bad wildfire in one part of the country, the smoke can travel for hundreds of miles, even reaching the East Coast.
How You Can Protect Your Indoor Air From Wildfire Smoke
If you’ve noticed an increase in your area’s local air pollution, it could be due to the Park Fire, even if you live far away. Outdoor air pollution has a way of sneaking inside our homes, even when we do our best to keep doors and windows closed.
Here are some ways you can protect your home’s air quality:
- Keep windows and doors closed as often as possible
- Circulate your air to prevent airborne particulate matter from clustering
- Run an air purifier to simultaneously circulate your air and filter pollutants
- Stay updated on your area’s air quality
- Remember to wear a mask when going outside
It’s important to know what to do in the event of a wildfire near you. If you’d like to learn more about how you can prepare, visit our Wildfire Preparedness 101 blog to download our free Wildfire Preparedness Checklist.
Sources
Park Fire more than 400,000 acres, 4th-largest in Calif. history | CNN
