Scientists: Wildfire smoke may shorten Calif. life expectancy
Published on December 16, 2017 at 01:57AM by Max Ufberg, Chris Mooney and Mark Berman, The Washington Post
MONTECITO, Calif. – Casa Dorinda, a majestic 48-acre multiunit retirement community, peers up over a carefully manicured treetop canopy here, its outdoor pool, wooded pathways and full-service private medical center part of an oasis along the Southern California coast.
But with the Thomas Fire burning nearby for a second week, Casa Dorinda was eerily quiet on Friday morning as the region continued to choke on smoke and ash.
“The place is empty,” said one resident, 90-year-old Sam Fordyce. “A lot of people left.”
With fire crews continuing their battle against the fourth-largest wildfire in modern California history, smoke inhalation has become a major concern for residents in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.