We watch on television as the fires rage on the West Coast. We are safe in front of our screens and observe what is happening so far away.

The other day, I was on the phone with an attorney in California and I asked him how he was doing. He described the surreal fire-polluted air and not being able to leave his home.

As he spoke, the radio in my home in the background reported that the haze in New York’s air was from the West Coast fires.

Step away from your screen. We are all in this together.