Air quality in Oakland is so poor from wildfires that Raiders are handing out masks
There are four significant wildfires burning in California. The largest, the Camp Fire, has consumed over 100,000 acres and thousands of homes, and has claimed 23 lives since it began on Thursday.
While the fire is roughly 100 miles from Oakland Alameda Coliseum, that doesn’t mean the air quality and smoke aren’t bad.
As a precaution, stadium officials offered face masks to fans for Oakland’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon. The Environmental Protection Agency rated the air quality as “unhealthy” as of 2 p.m. ET.
Coliseum security guards were required to wear a mask. There’s no word on what players are supposed to do to combat the conditions.
Of course, the smartest thing to do would have been to postpone the game – it’s tough to drink overpriced beer and eat lukewarm hot dogs through a mask – but the NFL must have decided logistical difficulties were too difficult. Both the Raiders and Chargers have already had their bye week.
More from Yahoo Sports:
• Entire teams penalized after wild college football brawl
• Report: Rockets mulling Carmelo’s status
• Davidson loses despite record 789 rushing yards
• Kevin Iole: Is Yair Rodriguez’s KO the greatest ever?
