With temperatures expected to reach a low of 51 degrees in Los Angeles on Friday night, some may want to light a cozy fall bonfire. But residents across large swaths of Southern California should refrain from burning wood Friday — air pollution officials said as devastating wildfires unleashed a torrent of air pollutants.
In Orange County and non-desert areas of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, due to air quality on the South Coast, wax and paper will be prohibited indoors and outdoors from midnight to 11:59 p.m. Friday. It is mandatory to stop burning wood, including manufactured logs. The district administration made the announcement Thursday. This day is the first scheduled No Burn Day of the 2024-25 season.
(South Coast Air Quality Management District)
Mountain communities above 3,000 feet above sea level, the Coachella Valley, high desert areas, households that rely on wood as their sole source of heat, low-income households, and households without natural gas supplies are exempt from the ban.
Air pollution officials say breathing in particulates from burnt wood and other particles can cause respiratory illnesses such as asthma attacks. Officials recommend staying indoors, avoiding physical activity, and running your home’s air conditioner or air purifier.
A smoke advisory was also in place for parts of Los Angeles County until Saturday afternoon due to a wildfire that had burned more than 20,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 homes in Ventura County as of Thursday night.
