The scent of two major wildfires engulfed the hills around Lake County. Air quality became increasingly compromised as the work day came to a close.
In Quincy, approximately 195 miles northeast of Lakeport, at least 15,000 acres charred the once luscious landscape, in a devastating burn called the Moonlight Fire that started about 9 a.m. on Monday.
Additionally 11,000 acres burned in Morgan Hill, about 185 miles southeast of Lakeport. A fire set in barrel is the suspected cause of the Morgan Hill blaze, the residual smoke lingered over the lake.
That fire was about 20 percent contained Wednesday afternoon with more than 1,300 firefighters braving steep and rugged terrain.
The Quincy fire required the force of more than 1,000 firefighters from all over the state.
At 3 p.m. Wednesday the Moonlight Fire was only five percent contained.
Residents from Lake County and surrounding areas called the Record-Bee with concerns of impending doom in their neck of the woods. Though the fires are a great geographic distance from Lake County, the danger the fires pose to the public is eminent. People with respiratory problems, heart disease, the elderly and children should limit time outdoors.
The air management district issued an advisory stating that smoke from the Moonlight Fire is expected to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups.
Red flag warnings have been posted in a number of counties.
These warnings signify extreme fire weather conditions.
Windy weather and difficult terrain are halting the progress of extinguishing the fires.
