Photos Capture Surreal Orange Glow From Wildfire Smoke-Filled Skies Across Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The eerie, smoke-choked skies that hung over Northern California on September 9, 2020, made for an otherworldly day in a year like no other that no one will soon forget.
"Historic" and "unprecedented" are two words that have become overused since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and California's destructive fire season, but there was no other way to describe the dark skies overhead on Wednesday.
Photos: Smoke-darkened sky creates eerie glow over Bay Area
The hazy clouds of smoke that blocked out the sunlight and cast a reddish-orange glow as people tried to go about their business Street lights illuminated into midday, as in this photo taken outside a North Beach cafe in San Francisco after 12:30 p.m., all thanks to dozens of wildfires throughout the West.
KPIX asked viewers to tag the station on social media with their own photos and many responded.
Twitter user Hey Red offered up a shot of the Great Highway in San Francisco that looked more like dusk than high noon.
In a photo posted on Facebook, Janice Weber was one of the few who was actually able to make out the sun Wednesday afternoon in Santa Rosa
Twitter user Larry Laks shared this photo taken in Millbrae, one of countless references to the apocalypse that could be seen on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
People also referenced the films 'Bladerunner 2049' and 'Total Recall' in their posts, noting the similarities in the sepia tones featured in those two dystopian science fiction classics as Cat Taylor did in this photo of SF Victorians.
KPIX staff also posted some incredible images. Anchor Allen Martin pointed out that the skies provided "Nature's sepia tone filter" in a picture from the station lobby.
Anchor Len Kiese ventured up to the station's roof and took photos.
Reporter Betty Yu took several photos downtown that looked like they were straight out of a science fiction movie. She also mentioned the "Halloween tinted sky."
Reporter Gianna Suter-Franco took photos of her children as they played on a Pacifica beach under the eerie glow.
More photos of the unusual day that was can be found in this gallery.
