FRESNO, Calif. – The Garnet Fire continued to rage Monday in the West despite around-the-clock efforts to suppress the flames.
Days of response from firefighters’ efforts to hold the primary line, the Garnet Fire has spread across 53,000 acres in California and is only 14% contained.
The fire, located near Fresno, California, has produced large smoke plumes since it began Aug. 24, following a lightning strike, according to officials.
LIGHTNING STRIKES, DRY CONDITIONS SPARK DOZENS OF NEW BLAZES IN CALIFORNIA
The spreading Garnet Fire viewed from a distance.
(ALERTCalifornia | UC San Diego)
As the struggle to contain the flames continued, the smoke from the fire has spread far and wide, including into the beloved Yosemite National Park and Hawthorne, Nevada, where “Hazardous” air quality, the worst air quality rating possible, has been reported. This means breathing the air would cause problems for even healthy individuals, but especially those who suffer from respiratory illnesses.
A Dense Smoke Advisory has been issued for parts of both California and Nevada. According to the National Weather Service, the smoke could reduce visibility to a mile or less at times. With lowered visibility comes an ongoing risk to drivers. Areas in the advisory include Mammoth Lakes, Coleville, Bridgeport, and Lee Vining.
THE AIR QUALITY INDEX EXPLAINED
Low visibility and poor air quality have been issues in parts of California and neighboring areas.
(ALERTCalifornia | UC San Diego)
“The intense heat generated by an active wildfire drives smoke high into the air where it remains until it cools and begins to descend,” read a statement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “As smoke moves downward to ground level, it becomes more diluted and often more widespread.”
Air quality levels are not expected to improve until winds change or containment of the fire increases.
According to the National Weather Service, poor air quality is responsible for an estimated more than 100,000 premature deaths in the U.S. each year.
