News release
South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended a residential No-Burn Day alert through Thursday, Dec. 5, at 11:59 p.m. for all those living in the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
South Coast AQMD reminds residents in these areas that burning wood in their fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device is prohibited at any time on No-Burn Days. The No-Burn rule prohibits burning wood as well as manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper.
No-Burn Day alerts are mandatory in order to protect public health when levels of fine particulate air pollution in the region are forecast to be high anywhere in the South Coast Air Basin, according to a news release from the AQMD. No-Burn Days are based on fine particulate pollution that is forecasted for an entire 24-hour period, which may not be reflected in real-time air quality maps.
Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems, the release said. Particles in wood smoke — also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks), increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Residents can help reduce the harmful health effects of wood smoke by signing up to receive e-mail alerts at www.AirAlerts.Org to learn when a mandatory No-Burn Day alert is issued.
South Coast AQMD’s No-Burn Day alerts do not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley, or the High Desert. Homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and those without natural gas service also are exempt from the requirement. Gas and other non-wood burning fireplaces are not restricted.
South Coast AQMD’s Check Before You Burn program is in effect from November through the end of February, when particulate levels are highest. Four No-Burn Day alerts have been issued for the 2024-2025 season. For 24-hour recorded information, call 866-966-3293. An interactive map with the current Check Before You Burn status is available at www.aqmd.gov/CheckBeforeYouBurnMap.
