Unhealthy LA Air Advisory: Winds And Fires Kick Up Ash And Smoke

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles County is enduring some of the most hazardous air quality in the nation this week as the Santa Ana winds whip up ash from the massive Bobcat Fire and smoke from wildfires burning out of control in Orange County.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an advisory Tuesday warning residents of windblown dust an ash, making outdoor activity inadvisable.

Wind gusts between 40 – 65 mph, with isolated wind gusts over 80 mph were expected to last through Tuesday, causing the unhealthy air quality.

The risk of new wildfire outbreaks again threatened Los Angeles and Orange County Tuesday amid high winds, very low humidity and an abundance of bone-dry vegetation, but the area was expected to get some relief as the high winds die down Tuesday evening.

"The combination of a strong offshore pressure gradient, strong upper- level wind support, and significant cold air advection is producing the strongest Santa Ana wind event we have seen so far this season, with the most dangerous fire weather conditions we have seen since October 2019," the National Weather Service said in a statement, although Tuesday's winds were forecast to be lighter than Monday's.

Officials said air quality would be unhealthy Wednesday for all people in Southeast Los Angeles County and the South San Gabriel Valley, and unhealthy for sensitive people in most of the rest of the county.

Most Orange County communities had smoky skies as a result of the fires.

Nearly 3,500 Southern California Edison customers in Los Angeles County and 1,271 in Orange County had their power cut Tuesday morning to guard against the possibility of downed power lines causing a fire.

Two wildfires broke out in Orange County on Monday after a red flag warning had been issued, and a smaller fire broke out Tuesday in Glendale.

A high wind warning will be in effect until 3 p.m. in the San Gabriel Mountains amid winds of 30 to 45 miles per hour, one day after strong winds blew over several trucks on Interstates 10 and 15.

"Damaging winds will blow down large objects such as trees, power lines and temporary structures. Power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles," warned the NWS.

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