Walnut Creek residents woke up to hazy skies Wednesday, Aug. 12, and the Bay Area Air District says they should keep their windows shut. The district's smoke advisory remains in effect through Thursday, Aug. 13, as the Timber Fire in Monterey County continues to grow with almost no containment.
The fire has burned 3,150 acres as of 6:46 a.m. Wednesday, according to CBS News, up from 2,000 acres just 24 hours earlier. Containment remains at 5%.
This is the second smoke advisory to hit Walnut Creek in August. A Pacific Northwest wildfire event triggered an advisory the first week of the month.
What the advisory means for residents
The Bay Area Air District warns of hazy skies and the smell of smoke across the East Bay through Thursday. Pollution levels are not expected to exceed federal health standards, but conditions could shift as smoke drifts through the region, according to Mercury News reporting.
People with asthma, heart disease, the elderly and children face the greatest risk and should limit time outdoors. The district advises all residents to:
- Keep windows and doors closed
- Set vehicle ventilation to the recirculate setting
- Check current conditions at fire.airnow.gov
The fire's rapid growth
The Timber Fire ignited Saturday evening, Aug. 8, in a remote section of the Los Padres National Forest southeast of Loma Vista in Monterey County. It burned 100 acres by early Sunday, grew to 400 acres by Sunday afternoon, doubled overnight to 800 acres, then reached 2,000 acres by Tuesday morning.
By Wednesday, the fire had jumped another 57% in size. Cal Fire's morning update said flames stayed active overnight at higher elevations above the fog line, growing up steep hillsides and creeping downhill.
At least 503 structures are threatened. No structure damage has been reported.
More than 900 personnel are fighting the blaze, including 36 engines, six helicopters, seven dozers and 26 hand crews. The response includes crews from Contra Costa and Alameda counties, Cal Fire battalion chief Josh Silveira told the Monterey Herald on Tuesday.
"On the ground, old school with shovels and picks," Silveira said Tuesday, describing how the steep, roadless terrain forces firefighters to cut defensive lines by hand.
What's next
The advisory's exact end time on Aug. 13 has not been confirmed by the Bay Area Air District. With the fire still at 5% containment and growing, residents should monitor conditions at baaqmd.gov/wildfiresafety and be prepared for the advisory to extend.
