Air quality in Bakersfield reaches 'Very Unhealthy' levels

Smoke and ash from wildfires forcing air quality in Bakersfield to reach 'Very Unhealthy' levels

VALLEY IS FEELING THE IMPACTS OFTHE SMOKE FROMTHOSE FIRES.THAT'S OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT...THE AIR QUALILTY UNHEALTHY INALL 8 COUNTIES IN THE SANJOAQUINVALLEY TODAY BECAUSE OFWILDFIRES.23 A-B-C'S KYLIE WALKER JOINS USLIVE WITH WHAT OFFICIALS ARESAYING ABOUT THE AIR ACROSS THECOUNTY.

KYLIE?JESS IF YOU STEPPED OUTSIDETODAY YOU COULD SMELL AND SEEALL OF THAT SMOKE IN THE AIR..AND TODAY I SPOKE WITHWEATHER SPECIALISTS WHO TELL METHEY HAVENT SEEN THEAIR QUALITY THIS BAD SINCE THELARGE FIRES THAT BROKE OUT UPNORTH IN TWO THOUSAND EIGHTEEN.."WE HAVE A RIDGE OF HIGHPRESSURE OVERUS..

THATS PREVENTING GOODVENILATION OF THE AIR..

SO ITSGOING TOSINK MORE THAN RISE..

AND WHATTHATS DOING IS TRAPPING INSMOKE."WITH 367 KNOWN WILDFIRESCURRENTLY BLAZING ACROSS THESTATE...ANDY BOLLENBACHER WITH THENATIONALWEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD SAYSTHE UNHEALTHYAIR QUALITY IS LIKELY TO PERSISTUNTIL THE FIRES ARE EXTINGISHED" WE HAVE AN AIR QUALITY ALERTTHATSOUT UNTIL AT LEAST NEXTTUESDAY..

AND DEPENDING ON HOWWELL WE ARE ABLE TOFIGHT OFF THESE FIRES..

THAT MAYHAVE TO EXTEND EVEN FURTHER."AND ANTHONY PRESTO WITH THE SANJOAQUIN VALLEY AIRPOLLUTION CONTROL ..

IS URGINGRESIDENTS TO STAY INDOORS DURINGTHIS TIME TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TOPARTICULANT POLLUTION .."BREATHING IN PARTICULANT MATTERPOLLUTION CAN HAVE ALL TYPES OFSEVERE REACTIONS TO YOURRESPIRATORY SYSTEMAND ALSO EVEN TO YOUR HEART.."AND BOLLENBACHER AGREES TOREDUCE OUTDOORACTIIVITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE..ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARESUFFERING WITH LUNG RELATEDCONDITIONS..."ANYONE WHO HAS A LUNG DISEASECANCAUSE ASTHMA ATTACKS..

EXENTUATESYMPTOMS OF BRONCHITIS ..

AND ITWILL INCREASE RISK OFRESPIRATORY INFECTIONS..

"HE ALSO ADDS THAT IT MAY BEHARD..

BUT TO TRY AND LIMIT LONGPERIODS OF OUTDOOR EXPOSURE TOLIVESTOCK AND ANIMALS... ASTHESE CONDITIONS COULD BE LIFETHREATENING.."THEYRE PROBABLY THE ONES MOSTSUSCEPTIBLE TO US SINCE THEIROUTSIDE..

ALL DAY ..

ESPECIALLYTHIS HEATWAVE..

SO ITS A DOUBLEWHAMMY THEYRE GETTING 110 DEGREEAFTERNOON HIGHSAND THEN PARTICULANTS THEYREBREATHING IN."AT ONE POINT WEDNESDAY KERNCOUNTY REACHED A LEVEL 5 ON A1-5SCALE THAT MEASURES PARTICULATEMATTER .."ONE MEANS GOOD ..

AND IF YOUARE ATLEVEL 4 THATS UNHEALTHY FOR THEGENERAL POPULATION..

ITSIMPORTANT TO REALIZE THE MOREYOU EXERT YOURSELF OUTDOORS THEMOREYOU ARE BREATHING IN... SOAVOID THAT OUTDOOR EXERTIONDURING TIMES LIKETHIS."PRESTO SAYS YOU CAN FIND THESEDAILY LEVELS ON REAL TIME AIRADVISORY NETWORK OR RANN.

"GOTO VALLEYRANN.ORG OR MYRANN.COMTHATS M-Y-R-A-A-N.COMAGAIN AS FOR TOMORROW WE WILLCONTINUE TO SEE THATUNHEALTHY AIR QUALITY ... AND ITWILL LIKELY REMAIN LIKE THISUNTIL THOSE FIRES DIE DOWN..

ITIS ALSO IMPORTANT TONOTE THAT NEARLY 11,000 LIGHTINGSTRIKES IN THE PAST 72HOURS HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OFSOME OF THESE FIRES..SO WE WILLCONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS..

FORNOW IN BAKERSFIELD IMKYLIE WALKER 23ABC CONNECTINGYOU..AND WITH THE FIRES CONTINUING TOBURN IN THE GOLDEN STATE --