Dust kicks up near Fresno, bringing dirty air and causing a vehicle crash, CHP says
Gusty winds in the Central San Joaquin Valley prompted a health warning Monday and may have added to poor visibility in a Highway 41 pile-up near Fresno.
The National Weather Service in Hanford issued a wind advisory for much of the day Monday as the gusts precede a storm later in the week. The wind also has the potential to further dirty the Valley’s poor air quality, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
Along with concerns over air quality, the gusty winds kicked up dust along Highway 41 near Floral Avenue near Caruthers, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The dust played a part in a multi-car crash around 1 p.m. when seven cars collided in three separate crashes, CHP said. “All resulted from dust and unsafe speed,” Officer Mike Salas said.
Five people were taken to a Fresno-area hospital but all the injuries were described as minor, according to CHP.
In the event of blowing dust, CHP recommends drivers treat the conditions like fog, which mean drivers should slow down or pull over, if necessary.
The state Department of Transportation’s District 6 also tweeted a warning. “Be advised that highways around the Central Valley are experiencing various degrees of reduced visibility due to high winds and dust,” Monday’s tweet read. “Please exercise caution on the roadways and allot extra time to arrive at your destination.”
Poor air quality
The district issued a health caution for San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the Valley portion of Kern County.
“A low pressure system is dropping southward along the east side of the Sierra Nevada today and will generate strong northwesterly winds across the San Joaquin Valley, especially the northern and western portions of the Valley,” the statement said.
“The windy conditions will cause localized blowing dust in areas where soils are exceptionally dry, and create unhealthy concentrations of particulate matter 10 microns and smaller.”
Exposure to particulate pollution can cause serious health problems, aggravate lung disease, trigger asthma attacks and bronchitis, and increase risk of respiratory infections, the district said.
People with heart or lung disease should follow their doctors’ advice for dealing with episodes of particulate exposure. Older adults and children should avoid prolonged exposure or heavy exertion, the district said.
For more, visit www.valleyair.org or call a district office in Fresno, 559-230-6000; Modesto, 209-557-6400; or Bakersfield, 661-392-5500.
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 3:33 PM.
