The South Coast Air Quality Management District Friday issued a No-Burn Alert, effective Saturday, banning wood burning in fireplaces and in all indoor or outdoor devices in Riverside County and three neighboring counties.
The alert covers the South Coast Air Basin, including large areas of Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange counties. The High Desert and Coachella Valley are excluded.
“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 alert said.
Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems, the AQMD said. Fine particulate matter called PM2.5 can get deep into the lungs to cause asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
This is the sixth No-Burn Day the South Coast AQMD has issued in the 2025-2026 season from September through the end of April for ozone, and from November through the end of February for fine particle pollution when air quality is forecast to be poor.