June 29, 2008

Welcome to the Hotel California

Earliest Ever Wildfire Season Spikes Air Purifier Sales

In June of 1967, I rode my 160cc Lambretta motor scooter along the Pacific Coast Highway. I loved the isolation and stark beauty of California Highway 1, back then eerily quiet on weekdays.

After waiting for biker-chilling fog to lift, I'd ride south from 'Frisco to Big Sur, or north to the weather-beaten and nearly vacant village of Mendocino, camping undisturbed on deserted beaches.

This morning as I took my present bike for a short early morning cruise on quiet back roads in rural Texas, I thought fondly of a ride to the old west coast hangouts.

But not for long, the California of my youth is gone.

In June 2009, the west coast is gripped by a drought showing no sign of letup.

Lightning strikes have ignited over 1,000 wildfires in northern California, turning the air decidedly rider-unfriendly. Smoke and ash from fires around both Big Sur and Mendocino have forced cancellation of many outdoor activities and confined residents indoors.

A favorite 15 mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway was closed north of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, where a picturesque waterfall drops into the sea.

Hundreds of homes have been incinerated.

Chemical soot from the contents of these buildings - building materials, wiring, appliances, electronics, plastics...- has joined the tons of fine particulate and fly ash from burning forests, obscuring ocean vistas and producing record bad air quality across much of Northern California and Nevada.

In addition to these toxic chemicals, this smoke contains lung penetrating very fine particles, increasing medical visits for respiratory complaints, asthma attacks, and allergy flare-ups.

In Reno, Nevada, 250 miles away, authorities declared a "Stage Two" air quality alert, urging everyone, not just those with respiratory illness, to limit outdoor activities.

Many sensitive Californians will be trapped in their homes and endure toxic air all summer.

Air Purifiers Sell Out

Downwind and inland from the Mendocino area, the Ukiah Valley collects pollutants.

Ukiah area retailers report a run on air purifiers and face masks.

Nationwide, summer is generally the slow time for purifier sales, a buyer's market. But this wildfire season has spiked sales, so distributors are hustling to move inventory west.

Home Depot in Ukiah reportedly sold out after moving more than 80 air purifiers since the fumes arrived.

Past west coast fire drills have kept air cleaner demand brisk during the off season, with fewer internet deals offered.

Buyers should recognize the chemical and fine particle threats inherent in this type of smoke. Inexpensive air cleaners without chemical removal capability are better than rocks-and-sticks, but premium units are recommended for this application.

Ozone machines may be suitable for property damage mitigation, but should not be used to clean air for breathing.

On June 28, President George W. Bush declared an emergency for California.

And it's just June.

We used to call it the "endless summer."

End California Fires Spike Air Purifier Sales, return to News-Blog