For the last few years, fall in California has given residents a glimpse of the apocalypse. Fires burn around us, the air becomes ashy and smells like a campfire, and the sharp edges of landmarks like Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge blur in the hazy air. Taking a deep breath becomes a dodgy proposition that may set off a coughing fit, and the sun appears in the sky like a red moon behind the haze. We close our windows to avoid breathing smoke-infested air, stop going outside, and wear N95 masks—and that was before the pandemic.