Amid summer temperatures and wildfires burning in the Inland Empire, some areas of Southern California will experience adverse air quality on Monday.
Unhealthy air quality is anticipated for the San Bernardino National Forest, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups is expected for neighboring cities like Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands and Yucaipa, as well as other areas like Santa Clarita and West Covina.
The AQMD identifies the culprit as ozone, but officials noted that “wildfires can often cause very high air pollution levels that are harmful to your health.”
That pollution, however, doesn’t always show up when the AQMD measures air quality, as “windblown ash particles may be too large to be detected by air quality instrumentation.”
The AQMD encouraged the public to use their senses to detect possibly hazardous ash, which is usually visible to the naked eye or can be spotted on outdoor surfaces.
“Although the AQI may show green [for good air quality], hazardous ash may be present in the air,” officials said. “If you smell smoke or see ash, please take precautions.”
