The weather forecast is for rain over the weekend. Please wait until then to start your fires. No rain, no fire. Very simple. Smoke pollution is very dangerous to humans. Thank you.

We would all be dead from all the forest fires. This is just another way to bully the people on Thanksgiving. They will do this also at Christmas time as well. Has nothing to do with the air quality.

On one side we have measured data from calibrated scientific instruments which is reported regularly as well as many first hand reports about how terribly affected many in the community are by wood smoke.

On the other side, we have rhetoric and bumper sticker-esque catch phrases about how big gub'ment has nothing better to do than mess with people.

Pick a side.

@Hmm

You do realize that nobody has forced you to live in a valley of 2 million people right? Last time I checked, the majority of the state, and the country for that matter, was pretty empty... not to mention dirt cheap.

@When science conflicts with agenda: This is standard "rhetoric" from Hmm. It seems that he(?) despises everybody and everything for some reason that none of us have been able to figure out yet.

But I guess this is his one outlet for all of his frustrations.

@Stop the Trolls

Why don't you stop calling people names? I believe the government is needed to save me from people like you.

@Kath: You CANNOT possibly be that sensitive.

And are you possibly defending Hmm? Have you ever read his posts? Trust me, they're not particularly thoughtful. And he has attacked people personally at times.

If the air quality is so poor why can we see Mt Tamalpais from Shoreline??
Another make work program from our government that need to go away.
Why don't they focus on 2-cycle leaf blowers, diesels and oil refineries that are much worse than wood smoke. Many countries have outright banned 2-cycles.

@Roman -- You can have a high level of particulate pollution without necessarily having it *directly* affect visibility. At a high enough level, though, it will make it so that you wouldn't be able to see Mount Anything from your front porch.

As for your point about 2-cycle engines and oil refineries -- fair point. Diesels? Diesel technology is getting to the point where it is significantly cleaner than it was even a decade before.

And "Another make work program from our government that need to go away"? Uh, no.