Smoke season is becoming a permanent fixture
Air purifiers sold out again, and highway crews say the orange skies no longer surprise anyone.
There was a time when a smoke advisory made the front page. Now it makes the weather graphic, tucked between humidity and the five-day outlook.
Retailers report purifier sales spiking within hours of an advisory, and pharmacies say mask demand tracks the air-quality index almost perfectly.
Life under an orange sky
Outdoor workers have adapted with early starts and shortened shifts. Youth sports leagues now publish air thresholds alongside game schedules, a document that did not exist five years ago.
Health researchers are tracking what repeated exposure does over a decade rather than a weekend, and the early findings are not reassuring.
The practical response, for most people, has been quieter than the science: check the app, close the windows, carry on.
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