Bay Area struggles with third day of choking smoke from Camp Fire

Byby Cornell W. Barnard KGO logo
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Bay Area struggles with third day of choking smoke from Camp Fire
STAY INDOORS AND LIMIT YOUR EXPOSURE: "There's really no areas in the Bay Area that are healthy to breathe air."

RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) -- Dogs and their owners were out at Point Isabel in Richmond, Calif., on Saturday, but it wasn't the usual crowd. Many likely stayed away because of poor air quality due to smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County.

Justin Oh, who wore a face mask for protection, came with his dog but left after 15 minutes.

RELATED: Does wearing a mask when it's smoky outside work?

"We came here for a quick stroll and yeah it feels pretty bad out here, so we're just heading out," Oh said.

The Van Moppes family from Vallejo made a quick stop at Starbucks in Pinole, but the smoke was too much to handle.

"I have heart problems so I have to wear these things," D. Van Moppes said of his mask.

RELATED: Air quality in Bay Area worse than Beijing due to Camp Fire in Butte County

The Bay Area Air Quality Control Management District advises people to take it easy and stay indoors.

"There's really no areas in the Bay Area that are healthy to breathe air, so we're telling people to stay indoors and limit your time outside," said Walter Wallace, a spokesperson for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Despite the warning, ABC7 saw many people jogging around Lake Merritt in Oakland. Some joggers were wearing masks.

RELATED: Poor air quality from CA wildfires impacts San Francisco tourists

Smoke shrouded the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island from Emeryville.

Air quality officials expect the air to remain unhealthy in parts of the Bay Area until at least Monday.