Stanford and Santa Clara County Ramp Up Protective Measures Against Air Pollution

Palo Alto CA

24 August, 2021

1:21 PM

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By Adrian de Vernou, The Stanford Daily August 23, 2021 Stanford and Santa Clara County are ramping up their efforts to ensure communities stay safe from the threats of fires and air pollution during of an already historic fire season. On Stanford's campus and in Santa Clara County, air pollution from wildfires is not uncommon, and with climate change compounding the naturally warm and dry weather, the magnitude of wildfires have been growing immensely. The Dixie Fire, which ignited over a month ago after a tree fell on a PG&E power line, is now the second largest fire in California history, and still burning. According to Chris Field, the director of Stanford Woods Institute and a professor of interdisciplinary earth sciences, the link between the fires and climate change is undeniable. "It is very clear in California and regions in the West that climate change in the past several decades has led to an increase in area burned from wildfires due to fields becoming drier and the duration of the wildfire season getting longer," Field said. The impacts of a warming climate on fire season are unpredictable, Field said. Rather than increasing the frequency of wildfires during fire season, climate change will instead lead to larger fires that could ignite during historically unlikely times of the year. Within the last couple of years, wildfires have created significant air pollution within Santa Clara County. Memorably, last year the sky developed an orange tint in the many Bay Area counties because of heavy smoke. Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez has been working to ensure that the impact of wildfires on her district are minimized by ensuring that local fire departments are well funded and equipped. According to Chavez, when wildfires are burning on the West Coast, residents should, "check sparetheair.org every day. That is the Bay Area Air Quality Management District-run website that provides the latest information about the region's current air quality." By doing so, residents can ensure that the air quality is still clean enough to do outdoor activities. But when air pollution becomes dangerously high, residents should "stay indoors with the windows closed and run any air filtration systems they have," Chavez said. She added that people should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, and avoid driving non-electric vehicles as they significantly increases the amount of pollution in the air." Partaking in outdoor activities when air pollution is high is unhealthy, especially for people with heart or lung disease, according to the CDC. l. Shortness of breath and irritation of asthma are just some of the symptoms of light exposure to poor air quality. On Stanford's campus, the risk of ignition is very real. According to University Spokesperson E.J. Miranda, "The University's main campus land covers more than 8,000 acres, much of which is undeveloped and populated with natural vegetation and open grasslands." A fire on Stanford's land would cause a serious safety concern, along with air pollution and a number of risks to the campus community. "We understand the threat wildfires pose to our community and Stanford is stepping up its wildfire prevention efforts in response to changing weather conditions that are increasing the length and severity of California's wildfire season," Miranda said. Last year, Stanford brought together a group of experts in the field of ecology, ranging from wildland fire science to environmental planning in order to revise and update the scope of a 2019 plan drafted by environmental specialists in order to minimize fire hazards on Stanford's campus. The initiative aimed to provide recommendations for vegetation management and a current maintenance plan for Stanford's lands, based on wildland fire hazard risks. The updated Wildfire Management Plan is expected to be completed in September, Miranda said. The Stanford Daily is the independent, student-run newspaper of Stanford University. Read more of their stories at StanfordDaily.com.