Jun 24, 2008 11:35 pm US/Pacific
How Far To Find Clean Air?
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
More than 800 fires are raging in California, and Sacramento is suffering some of the worst of the smoke and seeing the unhealthiest air in a decade. How far would you have to go for a breath of fresh air?
We decided to drive to some higher elevations to get some clean air, but the fresh air of the foothills… wasn't.
"It looks to me like it's thicker here than it is down there," said George Rogers, an Auburn resident.
The closest clean spot, it turns out, is the Bay Area. "The best place to be is standing on the beach," said Damitri Stanich from the California Air Resources Board. "The wind will push the smoke into the valley off the shore."
"We have seen our highest pollution levels in years," said Jamie Arno from Sacramento Metro Air Quality. "The last time we saw pollution levels like this was back in 1998."
But back then, escaping the smoky haze didn't come at such a high cost: The average price for a gallon of gas in 1998 was $1.17.
Officials are urging residents to remain indoors whenever they can until the smoke clears.
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