Several people have written to ask whether the Network for Public Education Conference this weekend will go forward, in light of the catastrophic fires in Northern California.
YES!
Oakland is far enough from the fires to be totally safe.
The air quality might be affected, and those of us who are vulnerable will stay indoors.
I have had pulmonary issues, so I will stay in the hotel.
The agenda is sensational, and your biggest problem will be de icing which session to attend.
It will be a super gathering of the supermen and superwomen who are fighting for our children, our schools, our democracy.
See you in Oakland!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
¡Maestra Malinche estará presente!
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YES!
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Currently am about 4 hours away from Oakland!
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Welcome to the Bay Area. We have been “Waiting for Superman.” Just Kidding. Unfortunately the air quality will be pretty gnarly for the duration of your visit due to the fires, so anyone who is sensitive should taker appropriate precautions. Good luck.
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Here’s a link to California fire map. You can expand it and get details for all the current fires.
http://www.fire.ca.gov/general/firemaps
All of these fires are in the North Bay. If you extend the map really big, you can get a much better idea of the area that has burned north of the Bay Area.
Northern California is also usually the first area to get rain when the rainy season hits and if and when the rain comes, that will end the fire danger up there.
If you click the next link, you will discover that Northern California usually gets a lot of rain around this time during a normal season
http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/awipsProducts/RNOWRKCLI.php
Also, Oakland is west of the Oakland hills and the ocean breezes blow inland. I don’t think Oakland or San Franciso or the immediate Bay Area is getting much of the fallout from the fires. If you click the next link, You will discover the wind patterns for California and the wind that is blowing through the fire area mostly blows into the central valley and not into the Oakland or San Francisco area. most of the wind to the immediate Bay Area is from off of the Pacific Ocean and not from the Napa Valley area.
http://windmapper.com/CA/observations
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This link provides current air quality info. We have really bad air here as a result of the fires.
https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city&cityid=317
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Is here in Oakland. Try living in the far East bay on the fringes of the central valley and the delta.
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The map tells the story – forecast shows worsening conditions on Friday with all of Oakland in the “unhealthy” category. Hope Friday will be peak “ick, ” but many of these fires are still only 2-3% contained as of 3PM Pacific Time, today, Thursday according to Cal Fire.
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I am in Oakland. Weather beautiful. No smell of smoke in the air.
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I am inOakland
It is fine
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