Breathing Dangerous Amid Wildfires

Thousands Ran From Deadly Wildfires, But Can’t Hide From The Smoke In Air

(CBS)  This week thousands ran for their lives from deadly wildfires - but they learned quickly they couldn’t hide from the heavy smoke that filled the skies.

The dirty air has sickened many who have taken shelter down the mountain from the Running Springs fire, CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes reports.

“They are having some trouble breathing ... some even have tightness in the chest,” said Dr. Margaret Beed of the San Bernadino County Department of Public Health.

When April Acosta was evacuated, she forgot to grab her asthma medicine. It’s been three long days.

“You can’t breathe,” she said. “I started having panic attacks.”

What’s in smoke? Depending on what’s burning, it could include:

carbon dioxide

carbon monoxide

nitrogen oxide

soot

hydrocarbons

formaldehyde

benzene

particulates

Some of the chemical irritants and particulates can be so tiny that they’re inhaled deep into the lungs.

“For a non-smoker, this is like smoking like half a pack or a pack [of cigarettes] a day,” said Dr. Dee L’Archeveque of the Community Hospital of San Bernadino.

In the smokiest of areas, schools remain closed. And while the winds dying down is good news for firefighters on the frontlines, it isn’t going to bring relief to people’s lungs. Without those winds, the pollution isn’t going anywhere.

So for now doctors are warning 'do not exercise outside,' and when you do have to go outside, and wear a mask.


© MMVII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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[whispyseas]

'' ... if war rapes babies and u.s. invests more in domestic war than most countries combined invest globally, then why flaunt military of the world that blows out more virgins against their will? if making folk pay is so lucrative, why has nearly each farm been forclosed or sold to avoid forclosure? why build companys with cheap labor, abandon the cheap while starving the 3rd world, then pay to move to the 3rd world for the purpose of hiring cheap? ... ''

'' ... if the ''favorite'' government and media outlets are so tolerant and respectful and so equal opportunity, where did all the lazy naked ignorant profane promiscuous blemished kids go? ... ''

'' ... 33 sick beds per night @ 33 villages of 300 for 3.3 cents to 1.00 dollar tip per sick bed / village ... @ 1.3 billion sick beds and 6.5 billion folk, there should be 5 folk rallied around any sick bed at anytime (dancing hike naked dance dressed get well feed world porn songs and dancing hike naked dance dressed get sick tax world porn songs too) ... ''

'' ... if most folk most time see infinite lines of resolution with infinite exponents and infinitely fast refresh rates with infinitely fast exponents, then why not all folk all time? ... ''

'' ... not a flicket in oblivion or a god lording over other gods or a unwilling unwitting victim of eternal hell; but, eternal storyboards swimming drifting infinite oceans of eternal storyboards ... ''