Kincade Fire and Evacuees, House Impeachment Vote, Wildfires and Health

Evacuees Return as Cal Fire Contains Kincade Fire
By Friday morning, Cal Fire crews had contained the Kincade Fire by roughly 70 percent. The blaze has burned more than 77,000 acres and destroyed more than 300 structures in Sonoma County. On Wednesday, evacuation orders began being lifted for parts of the county, allowing thousands to return to their homes in Santa Rosa, Windsor and other communities after spending several days in evacuation centers in Petaluma and Santa Rosa. Some evacuees are returning to homes that have been burned or damaged in the fire or are struggling with lost income or business from not only the fire but also power outages imposed by PG&E that shut off the lights beginning Saturday night for nearly 100,000 customers in Sonoma County alone.

Guests:
Martha Bodell, Sonoma County business owner
Terri Hardesty, Kincade Fire evacuee

House Democrats Pass Resolution on Impeachment Inquiry
On Thursday, House Democrats passed a resolution laying out the rules and procedures to guide their impeachment investigation into President Trump. The measure will also establish due process rights for the White House and marks a new public phase of the probe, which stems from a whistleblower’s complaint that Trump uged Ukraine’s president to open an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, during a call in late July. Meanwhile, a decorated Army officer and Ukraine expert in the White House, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, testified on Capitol Hill. Vindman is the first White House official to testify who listened in on the phone call between President Trump and Ukraine’s leader.

Guests:
Marisa Lagos, KQED politics and government correspondent
Ron Elving, senior editor and correspondent, NPR

Wildfire Smoke and Health
On Thursday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a fourth consecutive “Spare the Air” alert this week due to smoke from the Kincade Fire that has burned more than 77,000 acres in Sonoma County. Wildfire smoke contains particulate matter that can irritate airways and be harmful when inhaled into the lungs, especially for children and those with respiratory illnesses like asthma. And while a mask can help filter tiny airborne particles, it’s important to know the right one to use and the correct way to use it.

Guest:

Dr. John Balmes, professor of medicine, UCSF