I used to plan my route by the fastest highway. Now I check for wildfire smoke first.

Last year, driving through Oregon, I had to pull over for an hour because the air got so thick I couldn't see the road. I keep a real-time air quality map open on my tablet now, and it adds 20 minutes to my trip sometimes. How many of you have changed a simple daily plan because of something like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley_jones1mo ago

Pulling over for an hour seems like an overreaction. Most smoke isn't that bad if you just slow down a bit. You're adding a lot of stress and time for a pretty rare problem.

angela_knight31mo ago

I mean, wesley_jones, smoke can mean a blown engine if you ignore it.

ellis.faith1mo ago

Well, I have to disagree. That smoke last year in Oregon was no joke, it felt like driving through a campfire. My eyes were burning and I was coughing even with the windows up. It's not just about seeing the road, it's about breathing that stuff in for hours. A little extra drive time is worth not feeling sick for days after.