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Southern California wildfires create unhealthy air quality

Looking east from Long Beach on Saturday, residents saw thick clouds of smoke from the Brea and Yorba Linda fires cutting across the skyline.

The website for the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major parts of Los Angeles, explains that weaker Santa Ana winds will likely continue to blow smoke across the counties today.

As of 11 a.m. Sunday, the Long Beach area was on the Air Quality Index of 123.  The AQI has five different ratings: 0 to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151 to 200 is unhealthy and over 200 is very unhealthy.

The AQMD suggests that air quality will reach “unhealthy” levels in areas impacted by smoke, including all of Orange County, the San Fernando Valley, downtown Los Angeles, the South Bay area (including Long Beach), the Corona/Norco area, Chino Hills, parts of the San Gabriel Mountains near the Sayre fire and the northwest coastal area of Los Angeles County.

According to an article posted on the AQMD’s website, “All individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke. This includes areas where residents can see or smell smoke.”

For suggestions on how to avoid the health impacts from the smoke, visit www.aqmd.gov/pubinfo/factsheets.htm

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2 Comments

  1. The winds really changed the sky from a beautiful blue to a hellish brown-grey within an hour on Saturday. I’m glad things are clearing up.

  2. wow great picture!

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