Community Chat

[Kachina624]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

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@Ladybug724 wrote:

It smells like burning plastic or something like chemicals, but it doesn't smell like wood burning. Air quality here is at the Very Unhealthy status, unsafe for all, not just sensitive groups. 

Again, it doesn't smell like burning wood. Smells like burning plastic or some kind of chemical. A lot of people are saying that.

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I was wondering the same thing so I googled it and found this. It doesn't look good.

"Why does the wildfire smoke smell like burning plastic?"

"The VOC's (volatile organic compounds) from the wildfire smoke interacts with the UV radiation to create benzene and formaldehyde compounds in the atmosphere. These are toxic air pollutants that can have very adverse effects on human and animal health – and they happen to smell like burning plastic."

@Ladybug724 

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@SilleeMee     Good heavens!  If one thing doesn't get us, another will.  Seems like all we've done is dodge bullets (sometimes literally) the past few years

I wonder if wearing masks would help?

[RedTop]

My area of southern WV has noticeable haze, but according to the AirNow website, we are in the green zone as good.  Teacher daughter is up north where the visual haze is lower, and far worse than here.  

[Kachina624]

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@RetRN wrote:

It has been very bad in many places. I have noticed it gets much more coverage when the east coast is involved. In other areas it tends to be brushed over. I guess when the wealthy elite are involved it matters more. 

When places like NYC or DC are in the thick of things the coverage is never-ending. Not so much when the south, southwest, or midwest are suffering.

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@RetRN    I've complained for years that the national news ignores places West of the Mississippi, especially serious weather events.  Al Roker is a major offender.

[Kachina624]

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@RedTop wrote:

My area of southern WV has noticeable haze, but according to the AirNow website, we are in the green zone as good.  Teacher daughter is up north where the visual haze is lower, and far worse than here.  

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@RedTop    Sometimes heat and high humidity will cause a haze typical of summertime.

[Carmie]

It's hazy and smoky in south Central PA.

Every time I go out, I start sneezing.

Thankfully, I have a whole house air purifier and two large stand alone units...one for my first and one for the 2nd floor of my home.  The filter gets clogged up with dust rather quickly.

I feel badly for the people in Canada who have to deal with the worse of this.

[RedTop]

@Kachina624 

Yes, what you wrote is true, but heat or humidity is far from an issue in WV right now.  We are at 62 degrees and very breezy, with 60% chance of rain.  

We've had smoke smell in the air for days already.  The weather pattern bringing our rain is sweeping down from Michigan, and carrying the smoke with it.  

[Enufstuff]

@Kachina624   You are correct. I always wondered why the sky

in New England was such a bright blue in October. It is because the humidity is very low.

   Ever since I was a child, I've noticed how white and hazy the sky looks in summer, when the humidity is high.

[KKJ]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@RetRN wrote:

It has been very bad in many places. I have noticed it gets much more coverage when the east coast is involved. In other areas it tends to be brushed over. I guess when the wealthy elite are involved it matters more. 

When places like NYC or DC are in the thick of things the coverage is never-ending. Not so much when the south, southwest, or midwest are suffering.

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@RetRN    I've complained for years that the national news ignores places West of the Mississippi, especially serious weather events.  Al Roker is a major offender.

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Yes!  You are so right about this, and I thought I was the only one who noticed it.  Lived all my life in the Midwest where we have to worry about tornadoes. My family used to laugh about how the national news would report "We'll get to the tornadoes in the midwest in a little bit but right now let's talk about the sunshine in the Northeast!"

And that's actually the gist of what was said during a national broadcast some years ago.

[Patriot3]

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@ValuSkr wrote:

@Patriot3   Thank you, that's a good website.  (AirNow.gov)

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 @ValuSkr  You're very welcome

[SilleeMee]

@Kachina624 

Only special masks, the kind firefighters wear, will filter out volatile gases (VOCs).