Air quality declines as Boone Fire burns in Fresno County. New evacuation orders
Officials announced new evacuations orders on Thursday for people living near the Boone Fire in western Fresno County, which was also experiencing bad air quality from the rural blaze.
The fire in the Los Gatos Creek area had burned almost 17,000 acres near Highway 198 between Lucille and Firestone avenues near Coalinga, Cal Fire said in its latest update on Thursday.
Seventy-five homes were potentially threatened as firefighters had contained 5% of the blaze, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said. That’s about twice as many homes under threat compared to the previous day as the amount of containment had remained unchanged.
The latest evacuation orders included Zones P11A, P12, P13A, P21 and P22A, Cal Fire said. Zones P11B, P13B, P17, P20, P22B and P23 were under evacuation warnings.
Poor air quality on Fresno and Kings counties
Residents in Fresno and Kings counties were warned Thursday to take precautions to protect themselves amid wildfires and smoke as the Boone Fire burned, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
“We are urging residents in communities being impacted wildfires to take action to protect themselves from smoke that is moving into their communities today and potentially into the weekend,” Valley Air District Executive Director Samir Sheikh said in a news release. “Check air quality regularly and listen to local fire personnel regarding evacuation levels.”
Wildfire smoke contains particulate matter, which can trigger asthma attacks, aggravate chronic bronchitis and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, among other health effects, district officials said.
The district recommends staying indoors when possible if poor air quality is reported, and to fit homes with the proper air filters.
The district said there are “clean air centers” throughout the San Joaquin Valley for those who may not be able to protect themselves at home, which commonly include libraries and other public buildings.
For more on the centers or air quality, go to ww2.valleyair.org.
