What's at stake:
Wildfire smoke is up to ten times as toxic as regular air pollution.
Smoke will continue to drift from California wildfires across the central San Joaquin Valley on Thursday, including the Redwood Fire in Tulare County, affecting air quality in Fresno.
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the National Weather Service, Hanford, issued an Air Quality Alert Thursday afternoon to alert residents about smoke impacts.
The alert is in place through 3:00 p.m. on Friday.
Wildfire smoke is toxic, especially for pregnant women and children. The smoke contains lead and arsenic, according to the California Air Resources Board — heavy metals which are known to stunt brain development.
Want to know how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke? Here’s Fresnoland’s guide.