Steerpike

In fairness, doesn't it look like that often due to fog? I took a peek at the Golden Gate Bridge 'webcam' today. It looks awful, but, I have to say it can look like that due to fog also:

scrubbedexpat091

Why are air tankers not being used?

Jerseygirl

stay safe Mr and Mrs L...stay safe.

MMcD

Ditto and Ditto and extra 's +

Let us know how you're doing...

ps....just Googled to try to get an idea of where you are - it brought up this: https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020...hreatened.html

Looks dire.
Hope you've not been escalated to level 3

Pulaski

Tankers can't fly if VFR flight isn't possible, and it looks to me like VFR ain't happening in the Marion & Clackamas County fires because of the smoke.

Giantaxe

Today it's very difficult to distinguish visually fog from smoke. But the air pollution index is three times higher today and everything is covered in white ash. Clearly the smoke is no longer at the high elevations it was at.

scrubbedexpat091

His comment though implied fire people were asking for tankers but were turned down, at least how I interpreted it.

Original comment: Perhaps when Oregon City is threatened someone might listen to the fire chiefs pleas for air tankers.

Pulaski

That's how interpreted it too, though I agree the question, as stated, implies that the requests were being ignored or rejected on a whim. Neither seems likely, so I guessed that the tankers are unable to fly because of smoke.

lansbury

Not sure there are any tankers operating in Oregon. Not seen any on the news. When they could fly they weren't available other States had a higher priority, now the conditions are such they can't operate.

Smoke conditions are a lot worse this morning. We have been getting things ready to grab and go. Level 2 is within 4 miles, in a straight line, which is how fires travel. We will go on level 2 and head to Mrs L's twin sister in eastern Washington.

Steerpike

Can anyone explain why San Francisco has the worst air quality for the entire region ... given that there aren't any fires specifically in San Francisco? Is it tied to the unique way that SF gets the summer fog worse than everyone else - being the lowest point and such? See map below - purple is worse than red ...

mrken30

They have 2 air tankers taking water from Hagg Lake , they were primarily being used for the Chahalem and Bald Peak fires initially. I have a couple of videos of the scooping.

Giantaxe

The summer fog is worst because it's at the junction of two ocean currents. My understanding is the smoke is worst right now as the centre of the smoke plume is off shore and then, because of the way the coastline veers southwards instead of southeastwards around the Golden Gate, it comes "onshore" at that point. When I hiked on Monday above Pacifica I could see the smoke plume offshore. With a slight change in wind direction it no longer is. Plus the plume is now massive compared to then. This is the first few days when SF has had the worst air; up until now inland areas have been worse. Even on the "orange" day, the air at Ocean Beach was actually ok.

scrubbedexpat091

Smoke from Washington causing air quality issues across the border.

Steerpike

Scary picture in this article, along with some interesting news.

https://www.politico.com/states/cali...ion-it-1316566

Is there any relief in sight? Are new fires starting up as old fires get put out?

sid nv

He didn't mention it because the orange haze allowed him to appear at rallies unnoticed.