In Search Of Healthy Air? No Burn Alert In Manhattan Beach Again

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Manhattan Beach gets a fourth day of a mandatory No Burn Alert for Thursday, Feb. 11. The alert was issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The first alert of the four began Monday, Feb. 8 at 12 midnight and has now been extended through 11:59 p.m. tomorrow [Thursday, Feb. 11].

A No Burn Alert requires people in Manhattan Beach, and other cities and areas under the same alert, to not burn any wood or manufactured or paper logs indoors or outside. Wood smoke can have harmful effects, especially for people who already have respiratory or air quality sensitivities.

"Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems," according to the SCAQMD. "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," reads a news release from SCAQMD. "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. "

Residents can remain aware of when a No Burn Alert is issued by signing up to receive e-mail alerts at www.AirAlerts.org.

South Coast AQMD's no burn day alerts do not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley, or the High Desert. Homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and those without natural gas service also are exempt from the requirement.

Gas and other non-wood burning fireplaces are not restricted.

South Coast AQMD's Check Before You Burn program is in effect from November through the end of February, when particulate levels are highest. Additional information is available at www.AirAlerts.org.

For 24-hour recorded information, call (866) 966-3293. An interactive map is available at www.aqmd.gov/CheckBeforeYouBurnMap.

South Coast AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.