@mom60 and folks with kids at UCSB:
OSH in Goleta now has a large stock of N-95 masks for sale. They also have a lot of batteries, though not many flashlights.
Free N-95 masks available at:
Carpinteria Albertsons (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
Santa Barbara Public Library (1 - 5 p.m.)
Franklin Community Center (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Goleta Costco (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
Wow—ending up in ER due to jogging in bad air quality—hmmm. Hope the kid is OK. We always recommend people minimize their outdoor exertion during poor air quality days/times. When the volcanic fumes and smog are bad, folks do pare back activity levels.
UCSB just postponed finals until January. What would have been the first week of classes will now be finals week. Winter quarter will be shortened by a week. Air quality has worsened to Hazardous there and power is intermittent. Several emergency alerts on the phones last night including a mistaken one that they needed to evacuate (not put out by the school). Alert should have just been for a specific area of Carpinteria. S15 was ready to do really well on his finals so he’s not super happy about it, but will head home tonight while 101 is still open.
Well this is soul-crushing 
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/46-race-horses-killed-san-diego-county_us_5a2c718de4b0a290f0514bca?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Postponing finals to January and shortening up next semester is a major endeavor. They must expect air quality to continue to get worse
Just curious…what are they doing about students who would be graduating or finishing their degree programs…now. And what about students who are studying abroad…or taking next term off for any number of reasons.
You know…everyone might not be there the first week of classes next term.
^Have had to deal with calendar foul-ups due to weather. You just do the best you can. In my experience it was up to the professors to deal with the individual cases.
@thumper1 In each communication, they have made mention about trying to be flexible if some students have unique problems with taking finals. The school was in a no-win situation - the air quality is so bad that it’s probably best to get as many kids out of there as they can. The air quality is apparently quite a bit worse in downtown Santa Barbara (the school is close to 10 miles away from downtown). Power has also been very intermittent for days and that has been an issue too. So much uncertainty - they probably made the right call erring on the side of caution. Ironically, UCLA is a mile from one of the fires, but because the winds have blown the smoke away from the school, they haven’t been affected as much.
Fortunately the highway is open right now and our son was able to get through riding home with a neighbor.
@thumper1 They just emailed a FAQ to parents and basically every question you had was addressed in there and a lot more. They are asking students and faculty to be maximally flexible for extraordinary situations.
@Ynotgo How are you doing with air quality and power? Prolonged exposure to that air seems like the biggest problem in your area right now. I can’t imagine the fire will actually get to you, but the air is so bad. Let’s hope we get a nice marine layer to help out.
@youcee are you sure 101 is open? My son wants to leave ASAP to get to north county San Diego - what route /s are open
From UCSB that is
Went through hurricane Irma’s prep, not knowing path, aftermath (not bad) this summer in Tampa. High stress levels with uncertainty, waiting for events to unfold. There have been a lot of natural disasters this year all over. Poor air quality in Seattle this summer when we visited secondary to western wildfires. I can imagine how it is a tough time for everyone in the region.
Best wishes to all in the areas at risk.
@youcee I don’t get any of these parent emails?! My son is a senior , I get nothing.
We just went through this up in our Northern California county. It’s so devastating and scary. Sending prayers to all affected by the fires down in Southern California.
@wecandothis - 101 is open. Amtrak is suspended.
@wecandothis This is the sign up link in the email:
https://app.e2ma.net/app2/audience/signup/1356296/1355022.213346574/
I can’t wait until D comes home to us from Los Angeles. She has asthma and other health issues and I worry a lot about air quality (though so far she can’t even smell the smoke of these fires–has smelled it from other fires previously).
I’m sorry for everyone who is affected by the fires. It does indeed sound like the school had not many attractive options and is choosing what it feels will allow the most students to stay safest.
Westmont College has also sent students home. Public schools are also closing till after the new year.
My son at UCSB is now free to go but he’s going to stick it out to make sure his GF is ok. Both live in SB, I think she’s near downtown and he is near SBCC. She might have to work. Wish they would both just leave NOW. Between Lilac Fire very close to me here and his situation I’m definitely stressed. Just glad they rescheduled finals week. I can’t force him to leave.