In addition to the obvious fire danger, all three fires are creating a substantial amount of smoke that can pose a health and safety risk to those who live nearby, even when that “nearby” in a few hundred miles from where the fire is burning. In San Francisco, for instance, the smoke smell is overwhelming at points despite the fires being rather far away. Those with asthma and other breathing issues have also been advised to use face masks when they go outside and limited their exposure to the smoky air.
Analytics company Esri has created two interactive maps to help people track the progression of the fires. Originally spotted by Fast Company, there are two maps: one showing real-time traffic information so if you need to evacuate you can determine the best route, and another showing a smoke forecast for the next 48 hours in the impacted areas.
The smoke forecast uses information from The National Weather Service and can give those nearby a little insight into what the air outside might look like for the next few days.
If you aren’t near the fires but just want to take a look at them, NASA released some pretty epic images this weekend showing the fires from space. The fires are already responsible for 11 deaths and a significant amount of property loss and damage across California.