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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: HEALTH ADVISORYHarmful Smoke from Harris Fire: Stay IndoorsGOLETA, CA —Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) today issued a health advisory for people living in areas affected by smoke from the Harris Fire, as it burns in a peat bog on Vandenberg Air Force Base. The APCD recommends that adults and children in areas affected by smoke avoid outdoor activity, and stay indoors as much as possible. Smoke irritates the eyes, nose and throat, and is harmful to breathe, posing a special risk to adults and children with asthma or other respiratory diseases. APCD recommends that people consult their physicians if their symptoms worsen. In Santa Barbara County, areas around Santa Maria, Lompoc, Los Alamos, and Buellton have reported thick smoke; more areas may be affected as wind patterns change. Firefighting officials cannot say how long this fire will continue to burn. Prevailing winds will also likely continue to blow smoke from the fire towards communities in areas relatively far from the fire. While the main portion of the Harris fire is out, the fire has reached a natural peat bog in the Barka Slough. Peat is soil that contains partially carbonized plant material. When it burns, a large amount of smoke is produced. Peat bog fires are difficult to suppress using traditional firefighting techniques, and the Slough is the habitat for several wildlife species, including an endangered species. Said APCD Director Doug Allard: "Smoke is harmful to our lungs. We ask that everyone in areas affected by this smoke stay indoors, and avoid outside activities." For more information on the fire, contact Vandenberg Air Force Base at 606-3595.
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