Air quality concerns throughout the SF Bay Area

For several days now, there's been a strong smell of smoke here in the San Francisco Bay area. Local news stations are reporting that folk stay indoors for the next few days. Also advised was to use a moist cloth to cover the face when going outside since the particles in the air are filtering through masks. To stay indoors, keep windows closed, and use air conditioning if possible.

To top that off, there was also a hazmat fire warning in Redwood city. At the time of seeing the broadcast, the chemical was unknown. It's enough the air is pretty bad here. Insomuch the first day the smoke started settling, I felt like hurling it was so strong.

Please note the video on the weather stating that there may be a chance of dry lightning as well:
Air quality concerns throughout the Bay Area

WALNUT CREEK, CA (KGO) -- No matter where you look in the Bay Area, a thick, gray, smoke-filled haze is hanging over the sky. It's the fallout from more than 1,000 fires burning throughout California. It is hard to even make out the San Francisco skyline from across the bay in Richmond. It is the same scene for Oakland and the in the South Bay. All this smoke is not only ugly to look at, but it's very bad to breathe. It is the highest level of soot in our air they have ever measured on a summer day and as a result, health advisories have been in effect all day. The brown stuff that's settled into the Bay Area makes the air ugly to look at and is even worse to breath.

More video here:
Fires Cause Hazy Skies and Poor Air Quality

Update...please check out the video at the below link:

Health advisory extended until Sunday

WALNUT CREEK, CA (KGO) -- The bad, smoky air from the fires burning in Northern California prompts another warning from the Air Quality Control District. A health advisory is being extended until Sunday because CAL FIRE says there are more than 1,200 fires burning in 16 California counties currently and more are expected from lightning strikes.

The air we have been breathing for days contains such compounds as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and possibly even trace amounts of cyanide.

Last week from the 17th floor of San Jose's City Hall, the skyline was clear and visible for miles, now it is cloudy with smoke. The dramatic difference in air quality is something you can see and feel.

This just popped up on Yahoo!'s frontpage. To the left is video that shows the haze and air quality forecast:
Smoky skies threaten health in fiery California

Today when we went out, it didn't smell as bad, however, my husband noted that just because you can't see or smell it, doesn't mean it isn't there.

[edit on 28-6-2008 by DearWife]