Indoor and outdoor wood burning was prohibited Tuesday in most of Los Angeles and Orange counties because of weather conditions conducive to concentrated pollution, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The agency issued a “no-burn” alert Christmas Eve that went into effect at midnight Monday and will last until at least 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. The ban encompasses all of Orange County and the non-desert portion of Los Angeles County.
“Do your part to help keep our air clean by not burning wood during the mandatory wood burning ban,” the AQMD statement says. “No-burn alerts are mandatory in order to protect public health when levels of fine particulate air pollution in the region are forecast to be high. Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems.”
Particulate matter in wood smoke can inflict respiratory strain, especially on those with lung ailments, causing asthma attacks and other harmful effects that could lead to hospitalizations.
Gusty winds were forecast throughout Christmas Day, according to the National Weather Service.
SCAQMD’s no-burn alerts don’t apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation. 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.
More information is available at www.AirAlerts.org.