The smoke from the Creek Fire continues to degrade air quality in Mammoth Lakes and Bishop to unhealthy and hazardous, threatening the health of residents, students and visitors to the area as well.

Mammoth middle school building

If only we could get back to clear blue skies instead of the brown haze and lung-choking smoke from the Creek Fire continues to pour into Mammoth Lakes and the Bishop area.

BISHOP HS

Bishop Schools look forward to a time when COVID-19 and hazardous air quality becomes distant memories…and there is a sense of “normalcy.”

The following news release was posted on the Mammoth Lakes Unified School District website this morning, stating that “In-person programs closed due to very poor air quality this morning:

“MUSD School Programs including Husky Club are closed today, Monday, October19 due to extremely hazardous air quality. Distance Learning continues.

Air quality is more than triple the hazardous rating this morning. The AQI is 1606.which means that we need to close school programs, including Husky Club. All MUSD in-person programs and buildings will be closed today.

When the air quality reaches these levels, smoke gets into the school buildings, particularly the multi-purpose rooms, and it is not safe for students to be there. We are very sorry for the ongoing inconvenience.”

While the air quality in Mammoth Lakes is as much as ten-fold worse than in Bishop, the air quality in the Bishop Unified School District is still “Unhealthy” at best, and “Very Unhealthy” to “Hazardous” at it worst. It’s day-to-day and parents will need to listen to the radio, visit the school websites, or call the schools’ administration offices for advice on whether their student should attend school or stay home.

Both districts face the same dilemma and essentially are following the same policy ib Smoke Day”: No in-person instruction; only distance learning until the air quality improves.

BUSD, which closed schools today, issued this statement later: “BUSD will make a Smoke Day decision tomorrow morning at 6:00am. Air Quality (AQI) levels above 200 and/or Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) readings above 75 may warrant another Smoke Day. Hang in there everyone and stay safe!”

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