Air Quality Alert issued December 31 at 11:29AM PST by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

* WHAT…The South Coast AQMD has extended a mandatory wood-burning
ban for residents in the South Coast Air Basin. The No-Burn rule
bans burning wood, pellets, and manufactured fire logs in any
indoor or outdoor wood-burning device.

* WHERE…The South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and
non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino
counties. No-Burn Day alerts do not apply to areas above 3,000 feet
in elevation, the Coachella Valley, or the High Desert. Homes that
rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and
those without natural gas service also are exempt from the
requirement.

* WHEN…Tuesday and Wednesday.

* IMPACTS…Particles in smoke can get deep into the lungs and causehealth
problems (including asthma attacks), increases in emergency room
visits, and hospitalizations. No-Burn Days are needed to protect
public health when fine particle pollution levels are expected to
be high anywhere in the South Coast Air Basin. No-Burn Days are
based on fine particle pollution levels that are forecasted for an
entire 24-hour period, which may not be reflected in real-time air
quality maps.