News release
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended a residential no-burn day alert through Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. for all those living in the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
The alert applies to the Santa Clarita Valley.
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 AQMD said in a news release. 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,” the release said. “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. 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.
