Coronavirus and Climate Crisis Continues in LA

Masks are not only necessary to stop the spread of the virus, but to also protect oneself from another killer: smoke. While it may look like a common overcast in Southern California to the eye, the scent that lingers tells a very different story.

COVID-19 is spreading through Los Angeles like wildfire with over 264,000 cases in the county alone. Simultaneously, there is a wildfire blazing through the area that started on the same day it hit a record temperature of 121 degrees, which was 25 days ago. Both continue to torment this city.

The smoke that has filled the sky is making the quality of our air incredibly unhealthy, which makes it unsafe to partake in outdoor activities. The Bobcat fire burning in LA County has scorched over 114,000 acres. That alone is enough to make the air bad, but our air is also being affected by the other 25 fires burning across the state of California.

The pandemic left us with not very many activities to do and now the fires have taken away almost everything we had left. Going for a walk, a hike, or even eating outside is now considered dangerous and just like the pandemic, it puts people with underlying conditions more at risk.

Most Angelenos would wear masks in public spaces like at grocery stores or when taking public transportation—anywhere around people. But now, private spaces are being invaded by the thick scent of smoke. It follows you into your car and home. It would be funny to see someone wearing a mask alone in their car; I was part of the laughs. But jokes on me. I’m now alone in my car wearing a mask.

The unknown date of when life will resume to normal due to the pandemic is unsettling but knowing that some of these fires will continue to burn for over another month is almost worse. These fires are unpredictable depending on the winds and heat, which puts those residents in surrounding areas on edge considering they may have to pick up and leave within a matter of minutes if the fire suddenly changes course.

What both the fires and virus have in common other than being a huge stressor on people is the attack on one’s lungs. Speaking from someone who has experienced both, the tightness they leave on your chest is terrifying. The air we breathe is no longer helping us; it’s hurting us.

The stay at home order caused by the virus is no longer an option for those being affected by the fires. Many are facing mandatory evacuations forcing them to leave their homes.

For anyone trying to get away from the madness that is Los Angeles right now, there is no real escape. Those wanting to travel East to Palm Springs are met with the El Dorado fire on the way, as well as the Snow Fire when you arrive. Those traveling up North towards San Francisco will run into the August Complex and Glass fires.

Between the apocalyptic skies that resulted in the air we breathe smelling like a burnt barbeque and an uncurable virus that leaves your lungs looking like a charred piece of meat, there are no more excuses to not wearing a mask.