Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Residential No-Burn Alert Issued for Today

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has issued a residential no-burn alert effective Wednesday, January 13, 2016, for all those living in the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Altadena.

SCAQMD reminds residents in these areas that burning wood in their fireplaces, both indoors and outdoors, is prohibited through midnight on Wednesday.

No-burn alerts are mandatory in order to protect public health due to a high concentration of fine particulate air pollution forecast for the area.

The no-burn prohibition also applies to manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper. Particles in wood smoke – also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 – can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory illnesses, increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

Homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and those without natural gas service are exempt from the requirement. Gas and other non-wood burning fireplaces are not restricted.

SCAQMD’s Check Before You Burn program is in effect from November through the end of February, when particulate levels are highest. A link to additional information and an interactive no-burn alert map is available at www.AirAlerts.org. For 24-hour recorded Check Before You Burn information, call (866) 966-3293.

SCAQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.