Post-wildfires Californians Face Problems from Polluted Air

Wildfires in flame-ravaged Southern California have died down and residents are returning home. But there is no relief for them as they are in danger from the air they would be breathing. There is that lingering dust and soot-laden air.

Satellite pictures showed thick smoke continuing to hang over the entire region, affecting schools, events and the health of residents all over Southern California. residents staying in areas with bad air were advised to avoid exerting themselves. Children and people with heart and respiratory conditions were urged to stay indoors with the windows and doors closed and the air conditioner on.

'In the immediate aftermath of a fire, we're all at risk of the fine particulate matter we can inhale,' said Julia Robinson Shimizu, a spokeswoman for Breathe California of Los Angeles County, a prominent non-governmental organisation. 'In general it's good to limit outdoor strenuous activity at least seven days after the fires have ended.'

The University of California San Diego Medical Center saw an increase in patients coming in with breathing troubles they believe were related to air pollution, spokeswoman Jackie Carr said.

Mayor Jerry Sanders said the National Football League's San Diego Chargers would play Sunday's game scheduled at Qualcomm. The stadium can seat more than 70,000 people.

But Ross Porter, a spokesman for the American Lung Association of California, urged fans to use caution when deciding whether to attend.

'Sometimes its better to sit quietly at home and watch it on TV,' he said.

Meanwhile, about 23,000 homes were still threatened by five major blazes in three counties. Altogether, more than a dozen fires raced across more than 503,000 acres - the equivalent of 786 square miles - although many of the blazes have been contained.

At least three people - and possibly as many as seven - have been killed by flames. About 1,700 homes have been destroyed and damage estimates have surpassed $1 billion.

On Friday, tens of thousands of displaced families began returning to their fire-ravaged communities, but it will likely be months or even years before they recover what they left behind when they fled giant walls of flames.

On the other side of the Cleveland National Forest, residents in the Riverside County town of Corona worried that flames they had watched on the news all week might reach them. They filled an elementary school Friday to hear that there was no imminent threat. Some packed valuables in their cars, just in case.

'Your feelings are real but we want to relieve some of that anxiety,' John Hawkins, Riverside County fire chief, told residents.

Also Friday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein urged Congressional leaders to provide an additional $1 billion for firefighting and fire recovery efforts.

Source-Medindia
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