SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Smoke from California’s largest active wildfire, the Dixie Fire, burning near the small town of Quincy has blown into the Sacramento region prompting unhealthy conditions throughout the area.
The situation prompted the City of Roseville Parks Department to cancel all outdoor programs including swimming and adult sports, the department wrote on Twitter Wednesday.
Roseville had some of the worst reported air quality in the region, according to Sacramento Region Spare the Air.
Dr. Christian Sandrock, a professor of infectious disease, critical care and pulmonary medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, said the biggest threat of wildfire smoke is from fine particles released into the air when wood and other organic material is burned. Those tiny pieces can penetrate deep into your lungs, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Dr. Sandrock said wildfire smoke can have numerous adverse effects on your health in the short-term by causing inflammation like a runny nose, itchy eyes, and can aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases.
Long-term exposure can lead to other serious conditions like cancers, allergies and the weakening of your immune system, Dr. Sandrock said.
While wildfire smoke is dangerous for everyone, he says some are more at risk including those with chronic heart and lung conditions.
The best way to protect yourself is to limit exposure, Dr. Sandrock said. Your next line of defense is keeping up on use of home and vehicle filters or wearing an N95 or higher mask.
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