You may have heard in the news yesterday or this morning that San Francisco had the worst air quality in the world.
So I just wanted to let you know I’m OK and what is was like here.
Yesterday was day 9 of smoky skies. Larry and I had been staying pretty much indoors for a week and decided to go out to lunch. It seemed in the morning that the sky was clearer than it had been.
But as we were driving around for several hours, I kept saying, “you know, it looks like the smoke is getting worse.” Until finally we both were not feeling well, so we came home to the news that the air quality here was now worst in the world.
There is something called the Air Quality Index that rates how polluted the air is.
We were in the HAZARDOUS range.
Here’s our local San Francisco Bay Area map:
We just stayed in our bedroom with the door closed and turned up our EnviroKlenz air filter the highest setting. We were so relieved to have this filter.
For the past forty years I have made a point to always live where there is clean air. So I can go outdoors anytime I want and be able to breathe. This past week and especially yesterday I haven’t had that option because the air outdoors was worse than the air indoors.
But the EnviroKlenz Mobile air filter did it’s job. We were protected, I slept well, and this morning I’m feeling fine and up working. It’s still smoky outside, but here next to the filter, I can breathe.
The air quality is down to UNHEALTHY this morning, here.
But this is exactly why I think everyone needs an air filter. And one that removes both particles and gasses. If I didn’t already have this air filter, yesterday I would have really wished I had it.
[This morning I’ve been here in my office writing without the air filter for about two hours. After sleeping in the bedroom with it overnight I was feeling really good. Now after two hours of being indoors without the air filter my lungs are irritated and it’s getting hard to breathe. My eyes are burning, I have a headache, getting tired and sleepy…I’m going to the bedroom now to get the air filter and bring it to my office. I really need two air filters, one for each room.]
I’ve arranged a 20% discount on EnviroKlenz Mobile air filters for you, through Tuesday.
Why do you live there? Come to New England! We have clean air here! Of course we do have to deal with some snow ‘situations’ now and then, but other than that we like the weather here. Just sayin. 🙂
At the moment I live here because Larry is taking care of his 85-year-old mom so she can stay at home and not go to a rest home. And I’m helping him. When there are no fires, the air is superb.
I’m glad that you two survived. I still have not smelled the smoke in San Diego but there is a new fire a few miles from us. Possible arson or man-car made. So I will keep all windows closed for now. I burned food in the microwave today, and had to decide whether to open the windows or close them! Let’s hope that the world gets the message about global warming.
Fondly,
Sandy Stedinger
I am so sorry, Debra! These fires sound devastating on so many levels. As a MCS sufferer, I am always horrified by pictures of airplanes dropping enormous quantities of red fire retardant on the flames. I just read that 2 million gallons were dropped on No Cal in ONE week in October.
How toxic is this chemical they are using? What long-term impact will it have on soil, crops and people’s health?
Wishing you the best and hoping that you and your family are safe. Judith
The material is called Phos-Chek.It is primarily made up of 85% water, 10%fertilizer (ammonia phosphate and sulfate ions), and 5% minor ingredients(iron oxide for color, clay or bentonite). It works by coating the ground, buildings and plants with a moisture (like water, but has a stickiness to it). It is usually dropped by aircraft and reduces the flammability of the fuel on the ground. It is non-toxic to humans if it gets on your skin but can be harmful to animals if swallowed. It is red because once dropped it is easily visible from the air and on the ground.
Here’s a video about it, made by the manufacturer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcP_1j12eIY
Then a reader sent me a couple of articles. Apparently a 2017 article said that some residents of Northern California have had bad reactions to it, and that it contains toxic chemicals, ammonia, and nitrate.
In this article Phos-Chek is called LC95A: https://www.newstarget.com/2018-07-17-california-residents-break-out-in-bizarre-rashes-after-forest-fires-burn.html
And here’s an interesting piece about a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service by a group called Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics: https://www.hcn.org/issues/43.10/fire-fight-forest-service-finally-reveals-the-hazards-of-chemical-retardants. (the study was referenced in the other article, but my computer said the site hosting it was unsafe and refused to access it)