Air Quality Alert issued in LA County amid ongoing wildfires
LOS ANGELES - AIR QUALITY ALERT EXTENDED. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST.
Los Angeles County has been devastated by multiple wildfires that have resulted in 24 deaths, mass evacuations, and thousands of homes and businesses lost.
While firefighters made progress in the firefights over the weekend, they started the new week faced with another challenge as Santa Ana winds were expected to kick up and could further fuel the flames.
With the ongoing fires, health officials have warned of poor air quality in areas in and outside the fire zones.
"The fires, coupled with strong winds, have severely degraded air quality by releasing hazardous smoke and particulate matter, posing immediate and long-term risks to public health. Additionally, the fires have caused widespread displacement of residents, prompted emergency evacuations from healthcare facilities, and disrupted vital health services and resources," LA County health officials said in a press release.
They added the use of power air blowers, including leaf blowers, is prohibited until further notice, explaining that these devices "stir up ash and particulate matter into the air, further worsening air quality and increasing health risks for everyone and their pets, particularly for those with respiratory conditions, older adults, children, and other vulnerable populations."

Smoke fills the sky above beachgoers in Santa Monica. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Air Quality Alert

An Air Quality Alert has been issued for several parts of LA County through noon Tuesday including:
- Calabasas
- Agoura Hills
- Avalon
- Burbank
- Glendale
- LA County beaches
- Inglewood
- West Hollywood
- Hollywood
- Downtown LA
- Downey
- Norwalk
- Beverly Hills
- Pasadena
- Pomona
- Malibu
- Palos Verdes Hills
- Santa Clarita
- Newhall
- Valencia
- Reseda
- Woodland Hills
- Northridge
- Western San Gabriel Mountains
- Highway 14 Corridor
- Eastern and Western Santa Monica Mountains
Ways to protect yourself from poor air quality
LA County health officials also recommend the following:
- Limiting time outdoors
- Keeping indoor air clean by closing windows and doors
- Using air conditioners to filter out harmful particles
- Wearing N95 of P100 masks when outdoors in smoky conditions
- Those without air conditioning in warm conditions are encouraged to visit a library or shopping center to stay cool and away from harmful air
- Avoiding the use of fireplaces, candles and vacuums
- Cleaning dusty surfaces with a damp cloth
- Those who experience symptoms like severe coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain or unusual fatigue should contact their doctor or go to urgent care. For life-threatening symptoms, call 911.
Click here for more information on ash clean-up and food safety instructions.
Recommendations for pets:
- Avoid leaving your pets outdoors, particularly at night. Pets should be brought into an indoor location, such as an enclosed garage or a house.
- If dogs or cats appear to be in respiratory distress, they should be taken to an animal hospital immediately. Symptoms of respiratory distress for dogs and cats include coughing or gagging, difficulty breathing, including open mouth or increased noise when breathing (asthma like symptoms) . Symptoms for cats are less noticeable.