FOLSOM, Calif. — Thick smoke from the Mosquito Fire was seen all across the city of Folsom Friday making the air quality hazardous for residents and visitors.
"We got a lot of the down canyon breezes that pushed a lot of that smoke," said Chief Ken Cusano with the Folsom Fire Department. "Unfortunately, Folsom gets in the very unhealthy and actually the hazardous ranges for the AQI."
The smoky conditions prompted officials to close several recreational facilities through at least Saturday. The Folsom Zoo Sanctuary, Steve Miklos Aquatics Center and the Cummings Family Skate & Bike Park have all been affected.
"It's just a good idea to close those facilities especially when it's hazardous to even be outside especially for the sensitive groups," said Cusano.
People were still walking around the Folsom Historic District Friday despite the smoke.
"We didn't expect the fire nearby and the smoke certainly makes it difficult to breathe and you can't see the things like you normally can," said Johnny Johnson. "As soon as we thought it's already September, it should've ended by now but the fire just started up and it's just getting worse," said Josue Godinez. "It's definitely smoky. It doesn't seem safe at all."
Cusano says it's best for people to stay indoors when the air quality is in an unhealthy range — especially for those who have pre-existing conditions.
"Anybody that has any cardiovascular disease or any type of lung condition, definitely a good idea to stay out of that," said Cusano. "If you're able to get your pets indoors, it's probably good for them as well."
Find updates on the status of recreational facilities and air quality in Folsom here.
Watch more from ABC10: Mosquito Fire | Pyrocumulus clouds of wildfire smoke create hazards
