Community prepares Thanksgiving feast for Camp Fire victims, first responders

Community prepares Thanksgiving feast for Camp Fire victims, first responders

LINCOLN, Calif. - Neighbors in Lincoln, California, are preparing a massive feast for the victims and first responders of the destructive and deadly Camp Fire.It began as a Facebook post, looking for people with a similar goal, according to KTXL."So many of us felt like, ‘What can we do?’” organizer Kris Wyatt said. “We just felt so helpless."Jeannette Bermudez reached out to Wyatt and before they realized there were dozens within their community who also wanted to help."It was just blossoming and then even just last night, I mean there was like 400 people that were sharing the Facebook post,” Bermudez said.That was just in one night.

Wildfires cost Oregon Shakespeare Festival $2 million

Wildfires cost Oregon Shakespeare Festival $2 million

The famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival that attracts tourists from around the world says it lost $2 million this summer because wildfire smoke forced it to cancel more than two dozen outdoor performances.

Verizon slowed our data as we fought massive wildfire, chief says

Verizon slowed our data as we fought massive wildfire, chief says

Anxiety over how the absence of net neutrality rules could affect things has manifested itself in California.Ars Technica reports on a new lawsuit that includes a statement from Santa Clara County Fire Chief Anthony Bowden alleging Verizon throttled the fire department's data services (specifically tied to its vehicle OES 5262, which uses a Verizon SIM card to get online) while it was in the midst of fighting the state's wildfires.To make things worse, Bowden adds, "Verizon imposed these limitations despite being informed that throttling" was curtailing the department's emergency response.His declaration is an addendum to a legal challenge against the FCC filed by nearly two dozen state attorneys general and a slew of government agencies looking to overturn the repeal of net neutrality rules that went into effect in June.Ars Technica details the email back-and-forth—starting in late June and continuing as the Mendocino Complex Fire raged on—between Verizon and fire officials, including one in which a fire IT officer begs, "Please work with us."Even though the fire department had an "unlimited" data plan, Ars Technica notes big carriers sometimes slow things when a certain amount of data is exceeded.A Verizon rep eventually convinced the department to upgrade from a monthly $37.99 data plan to a $99.99 one.

Falling ash, smoky skies: What's exactly in that air?

Falling ash, smoky skies: What's exactly in that air?

SEATTLE -- The ash falling from wildfires onto cars and patio furniture around Puget Sound can be psychologically impactful, but it's not as dangerous as what you CAN'T see in the air.When organic plant material burns, most often it creates very microscopic particles that are in the smoke that billows out of wildfires.

Face masks being used by some braving unhealthy smoky conditions

Face masks being used by some braving unhealthy smoky conditions

KENT, Wash – Health experts are warning everyone to limit activity outdoors while the smoke hangs in the air, but barely anyone can put on hold what they have to get done.That includes Chelsea Jensen and her five kids, who had business in Kent Tuesday morning.“We we’re just hanging out at the library.

Does wearing a face mask protect from wildfire smoke?

Does wearing a face mask protect from wildfire smoke?

Wildfire smoke contains very small particles and gases that can irritate your eyes and lungs and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases, especially in children and older adults. So should you be wearing a mask?

Children more vulnerable than adults to unhealthy air quality

Children more vulnerable than adults to unhealthy air quality

SEATTLE -- At the Magnuson Park YMCA, jumping rope  inside is replacing scavenger hunts outside.“It's absolutely a challenge, especially since we have 250-plus kids here every week,” Miranda Gadau said Monday.So the YMCA has to get creative, partnering with other places to get all summer camps inside.“We also sent some kids bowling and roller-skating so anything we can do to keep them inside and have fun,” Gadau said.“Luckily for us, the YMCA of Greater Seattle has 13 locations across King County so we can take kids to gyms, we can take kids to indoor pools,” Andy Sharpe of YMCA saidSharpe says summer camps will remain indoors until the air quality improves and for good reason.“Kids have a higher respiratory rate just at baseline, so they tend to be more active and they breathe in, they breathe a lot compared to how small they are,” Dr.

Despite unhealthy air, many people are still playing outside

Despite unhealthy air, many people are still playing outside

SEATTLE -- The Pacific Northwest usually has some of the best air quality in the country, but right now, it's rated as one of the worst regions in the world.But it hasn't stopped people from trying to take in all of the sights, even if they're taking in smoke with it.The haze has blanketed the Northwest for the better part of two weeks."Something nasty, never seen it before," said Max King, who has lived in Seattle for more than a decade.At Green Lake, the quality is not keeping healthy people from hanging outdoors."I gotta move somehow so I just come out, get the exercise in and see how I feel," said Colleen Hadley, fresh off an hour of stand-up paddle boarding across the lake with her son.Even though some people are feeling the symptoms, they aren't letting it stop them."I could tell that the air was a little bad," said Jonathan Lang, who works at the Green Lake Boathouse. "My eyes were getting a little watery."