The South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended its residential No-Burn alert, the agency announced Wednesday. The alert is now set to expire on Dec. 28 at 11:59 p.m.
Residents in Orange County, along with those living in non-desert areas in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties are prohibited from “burning wood in their fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device on No-Burn days,” a news release said.
The alert also prohibits using manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper, from burning on No-Burn days.
The notice doesn’t apply to communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley, High Desert, homes that rely on wood as the main source of heat, low-income households, properties without an existing infrastructure for natural gas service within 150 feet of the property line and ceremonial fires.
“Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems. Particles in wood smoke — also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks), increasing emergency room visits and hospitalizations,” a news release said.
South Coast AQMD’s Check Before You Burn program is also in effect until February, when particulate levels are highest.
During this time, residents are encouraged to check the agency’s website for the latest information before they fire up their fireplaces.