No Burn Alert In Palos Verdes: Do Not Burn Wood, Manufactured Log

PALOS VERDES, CA — The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a "No Burn Alert" through 11:59 p.m. for Palos Verdes residents.

Burning wood in fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device is prohibited during this mandatory wood-burning ban, officials said.

The no-burn rule prohibits burning wood as well as manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper., according to a news release from SCAQMD. The alert covers 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 are mandatory in order to protect public health when levels of fine particulate air pollution in the region are forecast to be high," according to the news release. "Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems. Particles in wood smoke — also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks), increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

Sign up to receive email alerts to learn when a mandatory no-burn day alert is issued at www.AirAlerts.org. An interactive map showing where you can and cannot burn wood is available at www.aqmd.gov/CheckBeforeYouBurnMap.

Exemptions apply to homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and those without natural gas service. Gas and other non-wood burning fireplaces are not restricted either. No burn day alerts do not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley, or the High Desert.

- Patch Editor Liz Spear contributed to this report.