CA's Current Air Quality Is Far Worse Than Health Level Standards

The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history has made the air quality so poor that it exceeds world health standards by 60 times, according to Bloomberg. The Camp Fire, which sparked in Paradise, a small town about 1.5 hours away from Sacramento, has pushed smoke and ash hundreds of miles away as far south as Orange County.

The air quality has forced residents to wear masks outdoors and the closure of schools and businesses across Northern California with the hopes of alleviating any health issues derived from the poor air.

Bloomberg reported "Last week, particulates in the air reached as high as 1,500 micrograms per cubic meter. The threshold set by the World Health Organization is 25. Lower levels on Monday still exceeded the benchmark."

The Camp Fire erupted nearly two weeks ago, burning more than 150,000 acres and killing at least 79 people with the death toll expected to rise. The blaze, which is just 70 percent contained, has affected air quality across the northern region of the state.

As of Tuesday, the air quality index was 165 in San Francisco and 164 in Sacramento, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Read the full Bloomberg story here.

A woman wears a mask while walking through the Financial District in the smoke-filled air Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)