Though with air quality in Fresno County fluctuating between unhealthy for sensitive groups and moderate, the Valley Air District is encouraging people to limit their exposure to poor air.
Jaime Holt with the Valley Air District said during August and September, there are several factors that lead to lower air quality in the valley.
"We still see some of those triple digits, we have wildfire smoke coming over from the Garnet Fire that's still burning and then there's an increase in traffic due to back to school," she said
You may see or get caught in plumes of dust from the ongoing harvest, but Holt said those clouds and particles are less concerning than smoke.
"The bigger the particle, the more you're likely to see it, the less negative it is for your health," said Holt. "So if you can see it, usually your nose or your mouth is going to be helping filter that out. What happens with the smaller, invisible particles is they get deep into your lungs and can even move into your bloodstream. So when they move into your bloodstream, they can impact your heart health, your brain health."
Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen says farmers in Central California try to reduce their contribution to poor air quality.
"First and foremost, we have the replacement of our agricultural equipment with cleaner-burning engines. Next, we're trying to find better equipment when it comes to the dust, things like trying to find low-dust almond harvesters, for example," said Jacobsen.
The Valley Air District offers grants for farmers looking to replace harvesters with lower-dust options.
Poor air quality doesn't just impact people -- Jacobsen says it can also cause problems for the crops.
"There's been actual documentation going back the last five years, particularly in wine grapes you see in the wine taint, as well as almonds, you see a reduction in not just that year's potential crop because the photosynthesis not taking place, but secondarily the energy being created for the following year," said Jacobsen.
Jacobsen said if we get too much rain on crops, like grapes and raisins, this time of year, it could lead to the loss of a lot of crops.
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