El Dorado County wildfire sends smoke into Valley

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Thick smoke covered much of the Valley floor on Friday -- almost as if the fire causing it was relatively close to us. The haze was coming from the massive King Fire burning in El Dorado County more than 150 miles north of Fresno.

"I saw a lot of smoke when I was going to my doctor's appointment," said Ishmael Reyes. "I could see it all the way from the highway."

Reyes knew right away the smoke would trigger breathing problems.

"I have asthma and stuff like that, and my doctor said to stay away from unhealthy air," said Reyes. "Yes, stay indoors."

The air around Fresno became so hazy that officials at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued a health statement -- warning the heavy smoke will likely linger through the weekend, possibly longer.

The danger with smoke is what it's made of -- particulate matter or PM.

"It's not something that we typically deal with in the summer. But when we have these big wildfires burning and smoke coming into the Valley, it's definitely a health risk," said Jamie Holt with the Valley Air District.

Health officials warn not to overexert yourself with outdoor activities. Football games went on as a scheduled Friday since wind patterns eventually cleared the air and carried the smoke over Fresno.

"It can be an irritant to the lungs. If you have asthma it can cause problems. If you have respiratory issues, it can also cause you problems," said Holt. "It also, we found, PM gets into the blood stream and it puts people at risk for additional cardiovascular issues."

The smoke could stick around as long as the King Fire burns.

Air quality on Saturday is expected to be moderate, but that could quickly change if the smoke settles lower to the ground, as it usually does in the early morning hours.