This morning woke up to the smell of smoke. We were supposed to do 6 miles, but my toe woke up swollen (have no idea how this happened), so i was only going to do 5. but then we got out there, on the Foresthill Divide, and I couldn't catch my breath at all! I ended up only going total of 4 miles, and about half that was walking, as I just couldn't get it today. UGH! Anyone else have to rearrange their distance or where they wanted to go?

Last Saturday( a week ago) I was supposed to do a 18 miler and woke up to see the sky colored grey from the Santa Cruz fires - I canceled my run as opposed to getting out there and filtering the air!

Yesterday's run was great, but when I woke up today, the smoke smell was incredible. I don't have asthma, but my chest sure hurts. Ick.

Tonights run was awful.

This might sound like a stupid question (plus I'm a scientist so I think I ought to know) but is it bad for us to run in this- or just annoying and uncomfortable? I've lived all over but just moved to Davis and have never dealt with this smoke stuff before! I noticed that I was hacing trouble catching my breath at first on Sunday (Napa fire) but have also just been hitting the treadmill if its too smoky/hot. I've read a little about the smog effects on Olympic athletes but didn't know if straight-up smoke is a different story? (also, I'm injured in case anyone's wondering why my mileage is so miserably, tragically low but I'm still on running forums ). Hi to everyone since its my first time posting here!

Katie - here is a letter that was posted to all county employees regarding the impact of the smoke (the tables didn't post quite right, but you'll get the jist of it): SMOKY CONDITIONS WIDESPREAD IN PLACER COUNTY ; ADVISABLE TO CURTAIL ALL OUTDOOR EXERCISE ACTIVITIES For air information, please call Ann Hobbs, 745-2327 For health information, please call HHS 889-7141 Placer County , CA June 26, 2008 – Smoky conditions are widespread in Placer County from the valley floor to the Lake Tahoe area. Smoke continues to impact Placer County from fires burning in Placer County and throughout Northern California . Average measures of fine particulates yesterday were more than two ( Roseville ) to four ( Auburn ) times the federal standard. Tom Christofk , Placer County Air Pollution Control Officer and Dr. Richard Burton , MD, Placer County ’s Health Officer, are issuing an air quality advisory. With particulate matter concentrations in the unhealthy range it is advised that all outdoor exercise activities be voluntarily curtailed. The federal Particulate Matter 2.5 - 24 hour average standard is 35 micrograms per cubic meter. In Roseville the average for June 25th was 78 micrograms per cubic meter and 151 micrograms per cubic meter for Auburn . The smoke is extensive and is forecast to continue as long as the wildfires continue to burn and weather conditions do not significantly change, which at this time appears to be at least until Saturday. Residents are reminded to take common-sense precautions as Placer County will continue to be affected. Scientific studies have linked the fine particles associated with smoke with a variety of significant health problems. Symptoms include eye irritation, throat irritation, and coughing. People with existing heart and lung disease, including asthma, may experience heightened symptoms. They should monitor their health and consult with their health care provider should their symptoms worsen. Even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms in smoky conditions. Seek medical help if you experience symptoms that worsen or become severe. Dr. Burton and Christofk urge residents to keep in mind the following recommendations when they are in smoky conditions: Healthy people should delay outdoor strenuous exercise. Children and elderly people should avoid outdoor activities, particularly prolonged outdoor exertion. People with specific illnesses, particularly respiratory problems, should remain indoors. Using paper mask filters, which are not capable of filtering extra-fine smoke particles, and which restrict airflow, is not recommended. Stay inside with doors and windows shut. Use the recycle or recirculate mode on the air conditioner in your home or car. Avoid cooking and vacuuming, which can increase pollutants indoors. Asthmatics should follow their asthma-management plans. Contact your doctor if you have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or severe fatigue. This is important for not only people with chronic lung or heart disease, but also for individuals who have not been previously diagnosed with such illnesses. Smoke can “unmask” or produce symptom of such diseases. Keep airways moist by drinking lots of water. Breathing through a warm, wet washcloth can also help relieve dryness. Use the following index to assess the air quality based on the visibility in a given area: Face away from the sun. Determine visibility range by looking for targets that are at known distances (miles). The visible range is the point where even high-contrast objects disappear. After determining visibility in miles use the following Wildfire Smoke Visibility Index to assess air quality. Visibility Range Health Category Cautionary Statements 10+ miles Good None 5 – 10 miles Moderate Usually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. 3 – 5 miles Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Sensitive people should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. 1.5 – 2.5 miles Unhealthy Sensitive people should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. 1 – 1.25 miles Very Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Sensitive people should avoid all physical activity outdoors Everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. <0.75 miles hazardous sensitive people should remain indoors and keep activity levels low. everyone else should avoid all physical activity outdoors. information will be updated and posted to the district web site as available at www.placer.ca.gov. for general air quality information go to www.sparetheair.com. following is the air quality index table for particle pollution for reference. air quality index (aqi) index values levels of health concern cautionary statements 0-50 good none 51-100* moderate unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. 101-150 unhealthy for sensitive groups people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. 151-200 unhealthy people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. 201-300 very unhealthy people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid all physical activity outdoors. everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. 301-500 hazardous people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should remain indoors and keep activity levels low. everyone else should avoid all physical activity outdoors. miles="" hazardous="" sensitive="" people="" should="" remain="" indoors="" and="" keep="" activity="" levels="" low.="" everyone="" else="" should="" avoid="" all="" physical="" activity="" outdoors.="" information="" will="" be="" updated="" and="" posted="" to="" the="" district="" web="" site="" as="" available="" at="" www.placer.ca.gov.="" for="" general="" air="" quality="" information="" go="" to="" www.sparetheair.com.="" following="" is="" the="" air="" quality="" index="" table="" for="" particle="" pollution="" for="" reference.="" air="" quality="" index="" (aqi)="" index="" values="" levels="" of="" health="" concern="" cautionary="" statements="" 0-50="" good="" none="" 51-100*="" moderate="" unusually="" sensitive="" people="" should="" consider="" reducing="" prolonged="" or="" heavy="" exertion.="" 101-150="" unhealthy="" for="" sensitive="" groups="" people="" with="" heart="" or="" lung="" disease,="" older="" adults,="" and="" children="" should="" reduce="" prolonged="" or="" heavy="" exertion.="" 151-200="" unhealthy="" people="" with="" heart="" or="" lung="" disease,="" older="" adults,="" and="" children="" should="" avoid="" prolonged="" or="" heavy="" exertion.="" everyone="" else="" should="" reduce="" prolonged="" or="" heavy="" exertion.="" 201-300="" very="" unhealthy="" people="" with="" heart="" or="" lung="" disease,="" older="" adults,="" and="" children="" should="" avoid="" all="" physical="" activity="" outdoors.="" everyone="" else="" should="" avoid="" prolonged="" or="" heavy="" exertion.="" 301-500="" hazardous="" people="" with="" heart="" or="" lung="" disease,="" older="" adults,="" and="" children="" should="" remain="" indoors="" and="" keep="" activity="" levels="" low.="" everyone="" else="" should="" avoid="" all="" physical="" activity="" outdoors.=""></0.75 miles hazardous sensitive people should remain indoors and keep activity levels low. everyone else should avoid all physical activity outdoors. information will be updated and posted to the district web site as available at www.placer.ca.gov. for general air quality information go to www.sparetheair.com. following is the air quality index table for particle pollution for reference. air quality index (aqi) index values levels of health concern cautionary statements 0-50 good none 51-100* moderate unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. 101-150 unhealthy for sensitive groups people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. 151-200 unhealthy people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. 201-300 very unhealthy people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid all physical activity outdoors. everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. 301-500 hazardous people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should remain indoors and keep activity levels low. everyone else should avoid all physical activity outdoors. >

I think I read they cancelled Western States. Crazy! Katie -- I don't think Davis has it as bad as Placerville. See if this link works: http://www.sparetheair.com/aqirealtime.cfm. Oakland, where I am, hasn't gone beyond Yellow, moderate on Trails' list, and it looks like that's where Davis is too. But, it doesn't looke like this reporting is telling us much about smoke. It's measuring PM2.5, which is particulate matter less than 2.5 microns -- that's normally what we worry about, because that's what comes from soot and cars and the usual pollution sources. Woodsmoke particles are often bigger, and they're measured at PM10 (10 microns or smaller). So this "moderate" rating is, I think, based on the PM2.5 reading, and therefore missing a lot of the smoke info. Or that's what I get reading the websites. There could be something out there that reports on PM10 readings, but I"m not finding it on a quick search. I will say that based on the moderate reading, and the fact that it's not bothering me, I have been running outside still. Perhaps things are getting buried deep in my lungs . . . .