SANTA CLARA, Calif.– The ominous skies hovering over Levis Stadium have not yet forced the San Francisco 49ers to alter their plans, however its something they and the NFL will need to keep tabs on as they head towards Sundays opener versus the Arizona Cardinals.
With more wildfires burning all over California combined with a recent heat wave, Bay Area locals got up to spooky orange skies and falling ash on Wednesday. It created an unusual atmosphere for the Niners and coach Kyle Shanahan as they performed a walk-through and a practice outside the SAP training center.
” We just returned in from walk-through and its orange out here, too,” Shanahan said. “I feel like Im in The Book of Eli– its like an apocalyptic state out there.”
Despite the dark pall over their practice fields, the air quality, at least in the meantime, has actually not risen into dangerous territory. According to Shanahan, the groups measurement on the air quality index was a healthy 69 during the groups walk-through Wednesday. That number remained in the 60s during practice.
Bay Area residents awakened to orange skies and falling ash on Wednesday, which developed an unusual atmosphere for the Niners and coach Kyle Shanahan as they conducted a walk-through and practice outside their Santa Clara training facility. Nick Wagoner/ESPNThats significant due to the fact that the NFL will not allow groups to practice or play outside should that number rise to 200 or above on Sunday. To this point, the wildfires that have actually been burning for the past 3 weeks have actually not caused the Niners to cancel practice since of air quality.
On Aug. 21, the team did modify its practice schedule by about an hour due to the fact that of issues that winds would shift and the air quality would reach the limit to require the Niners to cancel or move practice. The group likewise excused 2 gamers from practice early as a safeguard against the impacts of the climbing up air quality index number.
At that time, the air quality hovered between 150 and 155, and it has reached as high as the 160s at different points over the previous few weeks.
1 Related” Surprisingly, the air quality does not appear as bad as it looks,” Shanahan said. Today when we were simply out there 15 minutes earlier, that air quality was at 69, I believe, which isnt close to what its been.
While a lot of the fires from that time are close to full containment, new fires have actually stimulated in recent days. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, wildfires have burned over 2.5 million acres in the state this year, with eight deaths and more than 3,700 structures ruined as of Wednesday morning.
In spite of the dark pall over their practice fields, the air quality, at least for now, has actually not risen into dangerous territory. According to Shanahan, the teams measurement on the air quality index was a healthy 69 during the teams walk-through Wednesday. That number remained in the 60s during practice.
Nick Wagoner/ESPNThats notable due to the fact that the NFL will not allow teams to play or practice outside ought to that number rise to 200 or above on Sunday. To this point, the wildfires that have actually been burning for the past 3 weeks have actually not caused the Niners to cancel practice due to the fact that of air quality.
Although none of the fires are in the instant distance of Levis Stadium, high winds have actually blown smoke and ash over all parts of the Bay Area, including the 49ers center. Weird as it was, the Niners were able to practice Wednesday without issues.
” Its dark out there,” quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stated. “Its not clouds. I indicate, simply with the smoke and whatever, we simply did a walk-through a bit back and theres the ash falling all over the location. Its various, but [I] send best dreams to all the households out there that are dealing with it. Its hard times, and remain safe.”
On the field, the 49ers lacked large receivers Deebo Samuel (foot) and Brandon Aiyuk (hamstring) and cornerback Jason Verrett (hamstring) for Wednesdays practice. Center Ben Garland, who has been handling an ankle injury, practiced on a limited basis.
