California wildfires ripping across the state's drought-scarred landscape are belching smoke plumes so large and widespread they're visible from the International Space Station.
The chalky haze is blanketing large areas of the state, filling valleys, obscuring mountain peaks, and shrouding some of California's most famous vistas in a ghostly hue.
The massive rock formations of Half Dome and El Capitan weren't even visible through the thick layer of smoke on the Yosemite Conservancy webcams Tuesday afternoon.
Many in Sacramento shared images of a sepia-toned state Capitol, and Sacramento Mayor Darrel Steinberg said when he woke to smoky skies Monday morning, "I thought I awoke from a nuclear disaster...It was horrible."
Authorities advised Sacramento residents, even those who are healthy and not sensitive to smoke, to limit outdoor activity through Friday.
The Sacramento Air Quality Management District said children, the elderly and people with respiratory or heart conditions should be especially cautious and avoid exposure when air quality is poor.
The Sacramento region saw its 15th official "Spare the Air Day" of the season Tuesday, and residents will likely be urged to limit driving through the week.
This is the story throughout most of the northern Central Valley. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's air monitor on Monday, "recorded a RAAN Level 5 — the most unhealthy level for a one-hour reading," the Fresno Bee reported. "And the monitor in Clovis recorded a Level 4, the second-highest reading."
While the air was more clear Tuesday in the Bay Area than in the Central Valley - thanks to an ocean breeze - the Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued an air quality advisory warning of low-level smoke in the East Bay and in parts of Napa and Sonoma Counties.
On Tuesday afternoon, the district's air quality index revealed moderate air quality for most of the Bay Area with a light layer of smoke.
In Northern California, the majority of the smoke is coming from the Mendocino Complex Fire, now the largest wildfire ever recorded in the state.
The blaze is made up of adjacent fires, the Ranch and River, burning on both sides of Clear Lake in Mendocino, Lake and Colusa Counties. Together, the exploding infernos have charred nearly 290,692 acres, that's 454 square miles. The blaze was 30 percent contained as of Tuesday morning.
More than 14,000 firefighters are battling about a dozen major blazes throughout California, state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Scott McLean said.
"It's hard to pin down the exact number as fires are put out and new ones pop up," McLean says.
Crews gained ground this week against the deadly Carr Fire that has destroyed more than 1,000 homes in and around Redding. It was nearly halfway contained, Cal Fire said.
The fire started more than two weeks ago by sparks from the steel wheel of a towed-trailer's flat tire. It killed two firefighters and four residents and displaced more than 38,000 people.
A new fire erupted south of Los Angeles in Orange County on Monday and quickly spread through the chaparral-covered ridges of the Cleveland National Forest. Campgrounds and homes in Holy Jim Canyon were ordered evacuated. The fire sent up an enormous pillar of smoke and ash.
For more information, visit SFGATE's California wildfires page.
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