Angel Island controlled burns: Smoke affects Oakland, Alameda, Berkely and Richmond; poor air quality reported

As controlled burns resume at Angel Island; smoke hits Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda and Richmond's air quality through Saturday, September 26.

Published on: Sep 24, 2026, 04:26:20 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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As the controlled burns at the Angel Island State Park in California started again on Wednesday afternoon, residents in areas east of Angel Island complained that the smoke was affecting air quality.

Oakland, which lies just east of Angel Island, was most affected by the smoke. The nearby areas of Alameda, Berkeley and even Richmond seemed to be affected by the smoke from the controlled burns.

The burns are being conducted by the California State Parks, Cal Fire and the Marin County Fire Department. They initially started on September 8, but were paused briefly. The operation resumed on Wednesday afternoon and is expected to continue up to Saturday. A total of 260 acres will be burned, with only 62 acres burned so far.

California State Parks has said that the prescribed burns are being conducted to reduce the risk of wildfire. It will cut down the size of the grassland significantly.

The California Fire Department has said that smoke will be visible in the areas of San Francisco Bay between 9am PDT and 6pm PDT till Saturday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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