Massive fire in NorCal causing flight delays and bad air Aug 2020->
Aug 23, 2020, 4:02 pm
#46
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,353
Aug 23, 2020, 4:11 pm
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,436
Late last night I went out and had a swim and the air was okay. I thought about opening up, but decided it wasn't ready yet. I was surprised to wake up this morning to decent air.
Aug 23, 2020, 4:16 pm
#48
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
There is a government-imposed limit of 450 passengers per day and 50 passengers per flight for arrivals into Sydney - but one would presume firefighters would be exempt from such limits (which would obviously only be relevant on their return to Australia).
Aug 23, 2020, 4:26 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,720
The coastal towns are the only places with consistently good air quality. We took our dog to the Half Moon Bay beach yesterday to enjoy the fresh air. Everyone was nicely distanced. Of course the authorities - in their infinite wisdom - closed the beaches today ostensibly to keep evacuation routes open and to avoid crowding. None of which was observed yesterday. AQ has generally been decent at SF beaches too.
PurpleAir is now displaying readings in the 400 range for my neighborhood - worse than anything I ever experienced in China.
PurpleAir is now displaying readings in the 400 range for my neighborhood - worse than anything I ever experienced in China.
Aug 23, 2020, 11:32 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,582
Agreed. I’m trying hard to just stay indoors although I have to drop off a tiny parcel in a mailbox by the house - I’ll be driving instead of walking...
Aug 24, 2020, 3:13 am
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel
Posts: 17,575
For those PG&E electricity customers who are curious about which "rotating outage block" you are located in, you can look it up (and read a FAQ and other info) below. And, from the FAQ:
https://www.pge.com/en_US/residentia...age-block.page
Over half our customers are in outage block 50, so it is a common block code. Block 50 customers are usually on the same circuit as a critical facility such as a hospital, police station or fire station and are unlikely to be affected by rotating block outages.
https://www.pge.com/en_US/residentia...age-block.page
Aug 24, 2020, 3:33 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel
Posts: 17,575
Yeah, the coastal air quality is usually somewhat better than even a few miles inland, because the prevailing winds are mostly from the west. However, when a Diablo (aka "Santa Ana" in SoCal) wind occurs, not necessarily so.
Aug 24, 2020, 11:33 pm
#55
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,067
Marine layer is back! Onshore winds! Fires will still burn in many places, but it looks like we might now get out of the smokey soup and have nice air again in the SF Bay Area.
Aug 25, 2020, 12:34 am
#56
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Came home from Seattle at 6 and was surprised to have the nice wind working its way up the Bay and blue skies just before sunset. Not expecting that during the day tomorrow, though.
Aug 25, 2020, 2:03 am
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,582
Aug 25, 2020, 9:43 am
#58
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Yesterday an FTer I know alerted me about the AirNow app, provided by EPA, which provides some air quality numbers to look at. Last night my city was in the healthy range. In the last hour it's jumped from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups. You can smell the smoke in the air again. The air quality index jumped from the 40 range last night to 113 right now. The forecast is 165 which is unhealthy for everyone, so going to get even worse.
Aug 25, 2020, 9:57 am
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,626
Yesterday an FTer I know alerted me about the AirNow app, provided by EPA, which provides some air quality numbers to look at. Last night my city was in the healthy range. In the last hour it's jumped from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups. You can smell the smoke in the air again. The air quality index jumped from the 40 range last night to 113 right now. The forecast is 165 which is unhealthy for everyone, so going to get even worse.
Last edited by Eastbay1K; Aug 25, 2020 at 3:38 pm
Aug 25, 2020, 10:30 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,720
Unfortunately the respite was short lived, just enough time to finally enjoy a long dog walk without an N95 mask. By this am the smoke was back and AQ is unhealthy again. Even worse there is no escape in the Bay Area as AQ has declined for most of the Peninsula and SF as well.
there is progress on fire containment and I’m told the winds will shift favorably tomorrow, so hope springs eternal...
there is progress on fire containment and I’m told the winds will shift favorably tomorrow, so hope springs eternal...