It’s that time of the year when the entire state is engulfed in fires. California is prone to intense wildfires through the forest regions, where lightning strikes instigate sparks in the dense areas.
To add to the havoc, the arid climate becomes a catalyst for spreading these fires across massive hectares of land.
This is an annual issue, where cities like San Fransico are gravely affected by these wildfires.
This year, the cluster of fires started in the North West region of California. On August 15, the first speck of these fires was recorded after a series of dispersed lightning strikes across the Six Rivers National Forest in Del Norte County, just south of the Oregon border.
Within a few days, this array of blazes destroyed over 79000 acres of land. Although the resources were deployed immediately, they could only contain 7% of these fires within a day. Experts also estimated that these wildfires would be lesser in magnitude as compared to previous years. But that doesn’t infer that the impending disaster has passed over.
Within the last month, some of the top insurance companies, including State Farm and Allstate Insurance, pulled out of California to provide services owing to the exponential financial woes. Many netizens believed that the insurance companies already had an inkling of the wildfires and hence decided to withdraw from a liable state.
On September 19, San Fransisco woke up to a thick layer of smoke hovering over the city. People reported a smoky smell in the air. This haze has traveled from the wildfires in the Northwestern sector of California and Oregon. This is the root cause of why the Bay Area, San Fransisco, seems so smoky.
Why Is It Smoky in the Bay Area?
According to chronicle meteorologist Anthony Edwards, these northerly winds will thrust the smog into the Bay Area. He elaborates further–
“Smoke will continue to drift into portions of the Bay Area through Thursday.”
“The highest concentrations of smoke will likely remain in the North Bay, but parts of the Peninsula and East Bay will experience periods of haze in the next few days.”
In the latest update, Cal Fire reported 257,407 acres have been destroyed this season. The only sigh of relief is that these repercussions are 77% less than the five-year average of about 1.15 million acres.
The forecasters have warned about the unhealthy levels of the Air Quality Index in Berkeley, Marin, and the Peninsula to San Bruno.
Meanwhile, the residents of Oakland, Tiburon, Vallejo, and many other points around the bay complained about the horrid smoke smell and were having trouble breathing.
PG&E has also issued a planned power shutdown by 6 p.m. on September 20. About 4200 households and businesses in Shasta, Tehama, Colusa, Butte, Glenn, and Lake counties will be affected by this blackout. Meanwhile, a small number of customers in Yolo and Napa counties with tribal communities of Grindstone Rancheria and Pitt River will have to bear with this shutdown.
Estimated Forecast in San Fransisco In The Upcoming Days
San Fransisco is under high alert for the next few days, considering the possibility of thunderstorms with lightning in the Sierra Nevada and dry, gusty winds for the Sacramento Valley.
This weather will continue towards northern Napa and Solano counties, including Mount Saint Helena and Lake Berryessa.
What is your take on the San Fransisco’s smoky haze? If you live around the area, tell us about your experience with the smoke.
How are you dealing with the blackout? Let us know in the comments section below.
