Air quality concerns grow due to smoky conditions from San Bernardino County wildfire
Poor air quality has prompted the South Coast AQMD to extend the Wildfire Smoke Advisories in effect until Tuesday at 11:59 PM. for parts of San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties.
The decision is in response to two wildfires in the region. The Line Fire, between Highland and Running Springs, has burned more than 20,000 acres and is 3% contained. The Roblar Fire burning in Camp Pendleton has burned 950 acres and is 20% contained.
Air Quality Index (AQI) levels have measured between Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups and Hazardous in areas including San Bernardino, Crestline, Fontana, Los Angeles, Ontario, Riverside, Big Bear, and Lake Elsinore. AQI levels may reach the Unhealthy or higher AQI category on Sunday and Monday in large parts of the South Coast Air Basin from high levels of ozone (smog) due to the ongoing heat wave.
West of the Desert Hot Springs Senior Center, a dark cloud lingers. “When I came out of the house this morning you could smell, you knew there was a fire and I had smelled it before with previous fires," according to Desert Hot Springs resident, Robert Schwallie.
Schwallie has been making sure to spend as much time indoors as he can and knows the effects wildfire smoke can have on everyone's health. “It’s hard on the sinuses and it's hard on the throat and of course the main thing is to stay out of it as best you can," Schwallie explained.
For residents who live closer to where the fire is burning, including Yucaipa, schools closed Monday because of the poor air quality. "I don’t think we can practice this week because of the air quality so they were talking about moving it down by mesa view so we can get some practice in," according to Yucaipa High School Student, Griffin Hewitt.
Doctors say these conditions can impact everyone, but some people are more at risk. “Like those patients with COPD and asthma as well as the elderly being affected," according to Allergist and Immunologist at Eisenhower Health, Doctor Vincent Devlin.
Doctor Devlin recommends wearing N95 and KN95 respirator masks and using an air filter to help minimize smoke particles that are inhaled, especially for those with chronic respiratory disease.
“A lot of the times if it's in the yellow, I would say it's better to be safe than sorry and stay indoors in the air conditioning, filtered air. Once a patient like that gets short of breath it can escalate very quickly so I would err on the side of caution," according to Respiratory Therapist at Desert Regional Medical Center, Lyndsey Bailey.
Residents where air quality is poor are advised to limit their exposure by remaining indoors with windows and doors closed or by seeking immediate shelter, avoid vigorous physical activity, run their air conditioning and/or air purifiers.
In addition, it’s best to avoid using swamp coolers or whole house fans that bring in outside air. Residents should also avoid burning wood in their fireplaces or firepits.
Residents can check their air quality in real time by downloading the South Coast AQMD App available in English and Spanish, or by viewing the AQI map found at the bottom of our homepage at www.AQMD.gov.
