Residents in the greater LA area, Orange County and the Inland Empire are not allowed to burn wood or manufactured fire logs in their fireplaces until after midnight tonight, as a no-burn alert has been issued by air control officials.
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No-burn alerts are issued when air quality is expected to worsen due to certain contaminants contained in wood smoke. The pollutant can be linked to increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations, as well as increased risk of heart attacks and early deaths, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).
The no-burn alert does not affect mountain communities about 3,000 feet, the Coachella Valley, or the High Desert. Low-income households, homes that rely on wood as the primary source of heat, and those without natural gas service are also exempt from the ban.
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Residents can enter their zip code at www.aqmd.gov to see if their area is affected.
