Particulate matter can come from many places, but what we see in this particular event, valley air officials say, is predominately the byproduct from combustion in cars.
In the past few days we have been experiencing high levels of P.M. 2.5. But, what is it?
Valley Air spokeswoman Heather Heinks said, "P.M. stands for particulate matter, and it is basically tiny particles that is a mixture of chemicals, soot, ammonia nitrate, different pieces of pollutants that get produced from wood smoke and is a byproduct of emissions that come out of the back of your car"
The P.M. is not visible to the naked eye, but when mixed with water vapor (or moisture from the rain on Halloween) it can look like the fog and haze we have been seeing.
It has been so highly concentrated in the valley the past few days due to an inversion cap, which is basically a lid...not allowing the bad air in the valley out, and not allowing cleaner air from above in.
Internal medicine specialist Raj Patel, M.D. Said, "air pollution actually brings in allergens and carcinogens and in this county both are abundant...allergies will trigger allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, pneumonia, and skin disorder. Carcinogens on the other hand are very prevalent as well. They will cause leukemia, lymphoma, lung cancer, skin cancer as well as other cancers that we don't know."
Dr. Patel said he's been practicing in Bakersfield for 25 years, and he says our bad air is directly linked to the high cancer rates in Kern County.
He recommends limiting any outdoor activity during bad air quality days, if possible, because those are the days when you are at the highest exposure.