First Time I've Done This

The restaurant will be tomorrow because the surroundings is getting much worse.  There are several areas around us where forest fires are burning.  Too much, including an area on the dome behind us and across the river but its close enough to provide pollution.

The whole area looks as if it is covered with fog from ground to the sky but its not.  It's smoke.  Thick smelly smoke you can see and smell. There are at least 8 fires within a 30 mile radius of Fairbanks.  Some are under 10 acres while others are over 10,000 acres and with all those fires, it is not unusual to get thick, dense, smoke filled air.

 It is the type that they tell you to stay inside and avoid outdoor exercise.  In fact the local hospital has opened a filtered room anyone can come in to use if they wish because the air is rated as extremely unhealthy.  It has not cleared up in about a week.  The last time it cleared was after a good rain but I don't think there is an end in site.

Rather than suffering through the smokey air, I went into town this morning and after checking a couple of stores I finally found the masks rated N95 which are better at getting smoke particles as you breath.  I got the last box of 20 on the shelf because it may be a while before they get the fire out.  These are not as good as the more heavy duty ones resembling gas masks.  I have never done this before because things never got this bad.  I decided to invest to protect my lungs.

The town has sold out of air purifiers, most masks, and even furnace filters are beginning to run in short supply because you put one on the outside of your box fan in the window so as it draws air into the building, you are getting cleaner air.  It's not the best but it is a good substitute when you don't have a good air purifier.

Even people who do not suffer from asthma, or other lung diseases are starting to feel the effects of smoke and dust.  More and more people are investing in something to help them breath clearer air so they don't mess with their lungs.  Although this happens on a yearly basis, it hasn't been this bad this long for a few years.

I'm expecting to have the announcements at the airport say "Welcome to Fairbanks International Airport.  This is a non smoking facility" and have the interior smoke filled due to the smoke filled air brought in from the outside.  This only happens when there are so many fires in the area that everything from the ground to the top of the mountains and higher.

The whole area is under a high fire danger so no fires.  There was supposed to be a musical night in the garden at the University last night.  Due to the smoke, it got moved to the Great Hall, an indoor facility so people who might have lung issues could be inside.  Most outdoor activities are being cancelled or moved indoors.

It's also crappy because we cannot enjoy walks along the river, runs in the early morning, late night baseball games, due to the amount of smoke.  Unfortunately, it may not fully clear up till the snows begin falling in September.  We just live it day by day and hope things clear.

Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Monday, I'll talk about the restaurant.  Also next week, I'll be reporting from Costa Rica.  I leave Sunday night and get there Monday mid afternoon.  I'll travel across 4 to 5 time zones.