Residents of Los Angeles and surrounding areas are facing an Air Quality Alert, as the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has issued a mandatory wood-burning ban effective through midnight PST Thursday. The ban which covers parts of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, as well as all of Orange County, prohibits the use of wood, pellets, and manufactured fire logs in indoor and outdoor wood-burning devices, according to the advisory.
The ban is part of an effort to curb the impacts of fine particle pollution, that can cause serious health issues including asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations. According to the weather forecast, Los Angeles is expected to see clear skies beginning mid-morning today after patchy dense fog clears, with temperatures peaking at around 71 degrees. Exemptions to the wood-burning restriction include homes above 3,000 feet elevation; the Coachella Valley, or the High Desert, and those who have no other source of heat than wood.
On the heels of the advisory, the AQMD is urging the public to check the current and forecasted air quality levels at their website or via their mobile app to make informed decisions about outdoor activities. Citizen's health is the primary concern, and as such, they are advised to "run your air conditioner and/or an air purifier and avoid using devices that bring in outside air like a swamp cooler or whole house fan if you have other ways to stay cool," according to the alert.
