Concern for air quality grows as strong winds blow ash from burn areas
With the return of the strong Santa Ana winds in Los Angeles County, the air quality will be changing quickly, especially for those downwind of the fires.
A windblown dust and ash advisory is in effect for L.A. County through Tuesday at 10 p.m.
Officials said that even if we see clear skies and good air quality, that doesn't necessarily mean we are safe.
"The wind will allow this stagnant, smoky, smoggy air mass to finally be pushed out of the area. But that's going to be replaced with wind blown dust and ash," said Air Quality Advisor Kati Chachere.
While Santa Ana winds will clear smoke, forecasters say it will carry toxic ash to areas south and west of the burn zones. Although ash can travel hundreds of miles, the highest impacted cities are those closest and downwind.
For the Eaton Fire that includes La Canada, La Crescenta, Glendale and other parts of the San Fernando Valley. The National Weather Service says much of the Palisades' ash will be carried out to sea, although nearby coastal communities may be impacted. Neighborhoods near the Kenneth and Hurst fires may also see ash blowing.
Residents are advised to stay indoors if possible and wear the appropriate PPE when outdoors.
"Which would include mask and eye protection as some of the particulate is abrasive enough that it could cause eye damage," said Chachere.
Appropriate PPE also includes N95 masks, glasses and goggles if you're going to be working outside. If you can stay inside, Elsayegh recommended air purifiers with a MERV 13 rating.
Ash from wildfires isn't just dust, it contains toxic particles from burned vegetation, building materials and chemicals. Monitoring the air quality index in your area can tell you if dangerous microscopic aerosols are present.
"But that's unfortunately not enough," said Pulmonologist Dr. Ashraf Elsayegh with Providence Saint John's Health Center. He said wildfire ash falls outside the range of what most air quality sensors can detect. So if you see it, protect yourself.
Breathing it in can cause immediate and long term health effects for children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with chronic conditions, but it's even a concern for healthy individuals.
"We have a lot of bronchitis and believe it or not, we can develop a lot of pneumonias and lung infections from it. We worry about lung cancers. We worry about pulmonary fibrosis," he said.
Elsayegh said ash of this kind can remain in our local region for up to two years. His advice is to avoid outdoor activities during any type of wind. That includes many popular hiking spots close to burn scar zones.
"Some of the bigger hiking trails were in the Palisades, in Topanga and Mandeville, and then in Eaton Canyon. So unfortunately, the bigger ones we're going to have to stay away from for a while."
