It’s Thursday, Sept. 4. Omar here! Hope you’re staying safe in the heat, and awful air quality.
☀️ More fall heat: We’ve got a high of 98 degrees forecasted today. The sun really is a one trick pony! And the clouds don’t want any part in the act, at least today.
💨 Did you smell that? If you thought Fresno smelled a little smoky yesterday, it’ll be worse today. That’s because the Garnet Fire is wafting particulate matter into Fresno’s air. We’ve got a guide for you on how to stay safe and take care of your respiratory system. More on that below!
🔥 Garnet Fire keeps raging: The Fresno County wildfire grew to 30,714 acres in the last day. Firefighting crews are focused on containing the fire’s northern and eastern sides after building solid containment along the southern part of the blaze. Click here’s to watch today’s Garnet Fire briefing.
1. Fresno air is pretty bad
Fresno’s air quality is going to be bad today.
By 10 a.m. our air will be fed wildfire smoke straight from the the raging Garnet Fire in the Sierra National Forest.
We’re republishing Fresnoland’s wildfire smoke guide today, written by environment reporter Gregory Weaver, which has all the tips you need to stay safe and healthy with all that’s in the air.
That includes explaining why wildfire smoke is so harmful for you, which masks to outside, whether to limit outdoor activity, and how to be prepared depending on your budget.
Also! Keep an eye on Purple Air for air quality readings in your vicinity.
2. Punjabi Sikhs report increase in threats
Punjabi Sikhs are reporting an uptick in threats and other safety concerns following a Florida trucking crash, The Fresno Bee reports.
On Aug. 12, a Punjabi trucker caused a fatal crash that killed three people in Florida. He was arrested four days later in Stockton, and since then, Punjabi Sikh truckers have felt stigmatized in national media and political rhetoric, and are worried for their own safety.
It didn’t help that Secretary of State Marco Rubio froze all new foreign worker visas for commercial truck drivers last month, and claimed they are endangering American lives and hurting job opportunities for U.S. citizens.
Jasdeep Pannu, CEO of Fresno-based Orabit Express Inc: “We’re really concerned about the safety of our drivers. There’s fear in the community about the misinformation, about being targeted because you wear a turban.”
3. An event? About public transit in Fresno?
Fresnoland is excited to host an event all about public transit later this month. We’re bringing you some of LA’s biggest innovators, who have been working to re-make the region’s car-centric landscape into a more sustainable, transit-friendly place.
Mark your calendars! On Thursday, September 25, at 6:00 p.m. at Tioga-Sequoia, we’ll be joined by former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (and current gubernatorial candidate), former Santa Monica Mayor Denny Zane (who founded Move LA), and Fresno City Councilmember Tyler Maxwell.
Tickets will go fast, so reserve them now for $5 on Eventbrite. (If you’re a Fresnoland member, check your email for a special discount code!)
Today’s newsletter was edited by Danielle Bergstrom.
