Laguna Niguel, Dana Point's Air Quality Suffers As Smoke Hovers

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA — The South Coast Air Quality Management District reported air quality would be unhealthy through Wednesday in all of Los Angeles County, coastal areas, inland Orange County, largely due to smoke from nearby fires.

Inland Orange County would remain in the Unhealthy range through Wednesday, according to Rick Graw and David Finnan of the Wild Fire Air Quality Response program. With four large fires within 150 miles, including the Bobcat Fire that has grown in size and lessened in containment, a smoke plume has settled over the Los Angeles basin, causing hazy conditions and worsening air quality.

In Laguna Niguel and Dana Point, Tuesday's air quality ranged from Unhealthy overnight to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, according to the Air Quality Index.

"People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:

• Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
• Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
• Be active outdoors when air quality is better.

Everyone else: Enjoy your outdoor activities," according to the Air Quality report.

By Wednesday, Laguna Niguel and Dana Point would see moderate air quality levels, the group forecast.

"It is difficult to tell where smoke, ash or soot from a fire will go, or how winds will affect the level of these particles in the air, so we ask everyone to remember that smoke and ash can be harmful to health, even for people who are healthy," said Dr. Muntu Davis, chief health officer for Los Angeles County. "If you can see smoke, soot, or ash, or you can smell smoke, pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health. These precautions are particularly important for children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases."

Members of the public were urged to limit their outdoor exposure as much as possible, including that of their pets.

"We are also advising day camps that are in session in smoke-impacted areas to suspend outside recreational activities, such as hiking or picnics, until conditions improve," Davis said.

The Bobcat Fire had burned 41,231 acres with 3% containment Tuesday, down from 6% the previous day, according to the Angeles National Forest. Full containment was not expected until Oct. 30.

Pasadena's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said that NASA was monitoring carbon monoxide plumes coming from California's 28 major wildfires last week.

Released by the fires along with smoke and ash, carbon monoxide is a pollutant that can persist in the atmosphere for about a month and can be transported great distances.

Intense heat from the wildfires lofted the carbon monoxide high into the atmosphere, enabling detection by the NASA equipment. The jet stream then blew the carbon monoxide plume eastward across the United States and over the Atlantic Ocean.

Scientists said the gas has little effect on the air we breathe at such high altitude; however, strong winds can carry it downward to where it can significantly impact air quality.

The monitoring was performed by the space agency's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), aboard the Aqua satellite, which are managed by the JPL under contract to NASA.

City News Service contributed to this report.