Poor air quality temporarily puts a stop to the San Francisco Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) –

Many go to the Bay Area for Thanksgiving holidays and are surprised by the thick layer of smoke hovering over the area.

Some visitors tell ABC7 that they have holiday agendas filled with traditional stops in the Bay Area, such as Alcatraz and the city's skating rinks. However, the poor quality of the air has put a temporary end to these traditions.

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This Thanksgiving week, these are holiday decorations with a touch of fog in the Bay Area. Public health officials continue to suggest that we remain cautious about exposure.

Abraham Martinez and his family traveled from Pittsburgh to ice skating at Union Square in San Francisco. "We planned to go ice skating, but like, it's closed, because of the smoke," he told ABC7 News.

Eduardo Bibiano and his family were walking along the Embarcadero Sunday afternoon, covering their mouths with scarves. Bibiano is visiting from Los Angeles.

"We were going to Alcatraz, but that obviously could not happen because it's closed," he said. "So, that's the disappointment."

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The National Parks Service announced the suspension of activities at Alcatraz, Muir Woods and Fort Point Parks due to air quality. He announced that the Golden Gate Bridge's reception center, among other attractions, would also be closed until Monday.

Toronto resident Akash Sidhu told ABC7 News that he had a list of planned leisure activities as part of Thanksgiving.

"At first we wanted to ride a bike and motorbike in the city," he said. "We wanted to do a lot more outdoor activities, but we realized that smoking made the task a bit difficult because we saw a lot of people wearing a mask."

Sidhu said it was a practice he had recognized since the time he lived in Beijing, a city renowned for its polluted air.

LIST: Schools are closed in the Bay Area due to camp smoke

He presented an outside perspective on the poor air quality in the Bay Area, suggesting a proactive approach.

"Wearing masks is a way to protect yourself," Sidhu told ABC7 News. "But in reality, we need to tackle this problem, how can we get involved to put an end to these fires, how can we actively support our environment so that such things do not happen continuously?"

Although the thick layer of smoke that covers the bay is disturbing for most people, it is a well received sight.

"We are coming from Chico," said Jazmine Diaz. "The weather is really bad over there, so we decided to come to San Francisco because it looks a little healthier than there."

For Diaz and his family, the air quality in the Bay Area would provide a breath of fresh air this holiday season.

When asked if she would complain about the air quality of the San Francisco Bay Area, the resident of Chico replied, "I would not do it, no, definitely. Is definitely better than up there. "