Fireworks To Cause Unhealthy Air Quality Across Aliso Viejo

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Those fireworks going off across the Southland over the next few days may be a blast, but they will also contribute to poor air quality, officials warned Friday.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a "particulate advisory" in effect Sunday through Monday. Major firework shows, illegal fireworks and neighborhood safe and sane fireworks will contribute to unhealthy levels of particulate matter in the air, along with metal air pollutants, regulators warned. The advisory will remain in effect across the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

According to the AQMD, the air quality index could reach the "very unhealthy" level.

"The use of personal `backyard' fireworks also contributes to this air pollution and can further increase how much air pollution a person is breathing," according to the AQMD. "In addition, personal `backyard' fireworks may create even higher levels of fine particulate matter locally that are far higher than regional particulate levels."

Regulators said levels of particulate matter in the air on July 4-5 are traditionally among the worst of the year.

"Breathing fine particulate matter can lead to a wide variety of cardiovascular and respiratory health effects such as heart attacks, asthma aggravation, decreased lung function, coughing or difficulty breathing and may lead to premature death in people with heart or lung diseases," according to the AQMD.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.