Mount Shasta, Calif. — The Department of Environmental Quality posts air quality updates throughout the day on its website.
Conditions got so bad over the weekend, one man suffered a heart attack.
“The smoke is really bad right here,” John Hacker said.
Ashland resident John Hacker passed the finish line in of the Mount Shasta Tinman Triathlon when he started to feel something was off.
“After the race I just had the worst pain of my life… felt like I was being impaled,” Hacker said.
Now he’s in the ICU at Rogue Regional Medical Center recovering from a heart attack.
He sent NBC5 News a video to warn the public.
“Do not work out in this crap,” Hacker said.
According to Hacker, his cardiologist said aggravation from the smoke caused the heart attack.
Hacker says he’s still in pain, but wants everyone to know how dangerous the smoke can be.
“I’m gonna be alright… I’m pretty resilient. But please in this smoke… don’t work out. That’s my message of this video. Listen to your body. Your health is everything. Without it you got nothing,” Hacker said.
With the smoke affecting outside activities, NBC5 News checked in with the King of the Rogue competition.
The race on the river is still scheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 9th.
The Rogue Valley’s U.S.A Men’s Raft Team will be at the competition.
The team’s leader says they have to push through training regardless of the weather conditions as they face Japan for world championships in just 25 days.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who have heart or lung diseases are at higher risk from wildfire smoke.
Older adults and children are also more likely to be affected.
If you want to check your weather conditions and air quality map, visit our website kobi5.com and click on weather.
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