Los Angeles Air Quality Alerts – SoCal Fire Maps
By Michael Dorausch, D.C.
Air quality experts are warning people to avoid outdoor activity today as unhealthy air is expected to linger throughout parts of Los Angeles County, and Orange County areas, due to California wildfires putting smoke and ash into the atmosphere.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District is advising everyone to avoid outdoor activities in smoke impacted areas. Outdoor sporting events, such as the inaugural Pasadena Marathon, have been canceled due to health risks related to air quality.
Unhealthy air is expected to linger throughout Sunday in many parts of Los Angeles and Orange County areas, which have been worst hit by wind fanned fires. The elderly, children, and people with breathing problems or heart disease are especially advised to avoid outdoor activities.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD – website) is the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Air-Quality Maps are available on the website, providing hourly updates of air quality conditions in the Southern California area.
Air quality has been reported unhealthy in nearly all of Orange County, the San Fernando Valley, downtown Los Angeles, the South Bay (which includes Long Beach), the Corona area, Chino Hills, portions of the San Gabriel Mountains (near the Sylmar fire), and Northwest Los Angeles County coastal areas. Current Hourly Air Quality Data for the Southland area can be viewed here. Map data is provided by Microsoft Virtual Earth and air-quality information is updated hourly.
Here in Venice Beach California, there’s a strong smell of smoke in the air, and a thin blanket of ash on everything outdoors. I’ve been keeping in touch with local LA and Orange County residents, via my twitter profile, and have received several reports of sore throats, headaches, sinus problems, breathing difficulties, and other smoke related complaints, among SoCal residents.
A number of people are also searching for fire maps in the Southern California area. Using Google maps, CAL FIRE maintains a California Fire Map that’s currently displaying fire information for the Tea Fire, Sayre Fire, and Freeway Fire. According to associated map reports, the Tea Fire is burning north of Montecito in Santa Barbara County. The fire has burned 1,940 acres and is 60% contained. The Sayre Fire is burning near Sylmar in Los Angeles County. The fire is 8,000 acres and 20% contained. The Freeway Fire (Diamond Bar fire) is burning just outside of Corona (Chino Hills and Yorba Linda areas) at the border of Orange and Riverside County.
In case you missed them, here are the links once again for fire and air-quality maps in the Southern California area. The OC Register also maintains a frequently updated fire map on their web site.
Map of Los Angeles Fires
Orange County Fire Maps
Fire in Orange County
Air Quality Los Angeles
planetc1.com-news @ 11:26 am | Article ID: 1226863591
