United States: Local experts stated that because fires continue burning across Los Angeles and strong winds are expected to persist until at least Friday, it was unclear when the air quality would be better in the area.
Unhealthy Air Quality Persists
The duration that it takes for fire-producing smoke from wildfires across regions surrounding LA to disperse is dynamic. Health officials say a large portion of Los Angeles County is being affected by unhealthy air as a result of the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires, which have consumed over 29,000 acres, as stated by Cal Fire. All have negligible or no containment at that stage. They have also benefitted from the aggressive Santa Ana winds, as reported by USA Today.
“As long as these fires are burning, there’s just a ton of smoke in the air right now,” Sarah Rees, deputy executive officer for planning and rules at the South Coast Air Quality Management District, a local regulatory agency, told USA TODAY. “It’s going to continue to cause these hazardous air quality conditions.”
Advisories for smoke dust from burned areas
The air quality district has continued to issue advisories for burning until at least Thursday evening due to smoke and windblown dust. The advisories go far beyond the areas that are being consumed by flames.
The wind has lessened slightly, but that means that the smoke will drift more, moving eastward to Riverside County, parts of San Bernardino County, and south to Orange County. Both the counties mentioned above are densely populated. The air quality is already one of the worst in the whole of America and the greater Los Angeles region, home to over 18 million people.
“In the greater LA area, we’re experiencing levels of air quality that are unhealthy for everybody,” Rees said.
Wildfire smoke is affecting LA severely, increasing health risks worldwide. Remember to wear an N95 mask and limit outdoor activities during such events. https://t.co/JVoVROynsx pic.twitter.com/uoVi9fdEpS
— Walter Sawyer (@Walter5awyer) January 13, 2025
Smoke from wildfires, for example, mostly affects vegetation, homes, cars, and other artificial structures. It is actually toxic to breathe in because there are tiny particles as well as gases that easily penetrate the lungs and the bloodstream. These particles can instigate an asthma attack in sensitive individuals and also raise the chances of other lung diseases and heart attacks. Long-term use is known to cause cancer, and so does dementia, according to some published research findings.
All individuals are somewhat susceptible to this pollution, but the most vulnerable are children, the elderly, and pregnant women, those with heart or respiratory issues or compromised immune systems.
No one knows what’s in the air
It is easier to find information about the health risks of inhaling smoke from trees and brush burning during wildfires, pointed out Keith Bein, a professional researcher at the Air Quality Research Center, University of California, Davis. Much is not known about the impact of burnt synthetic material, in the cases of homes and cars, as in Pacific Palisades or Altadena.
Fires that are ignited at what is known as the ‘wildland-urban interface,’ can residential areas and wildlands, began in Northern California in the year 2017 with the Santa Rosa fire that consumed an entire neighborhood in addition to the 2018 Campfire that burnt down the whole town of Paradise. Some of them are already composed of chemicals that in themselves can form compounds, according to Bein, and these were not often measured or even detected before.
The effects of acute exposure, with days of wildfires, are unknown. The consequences of this on the different communities, especially the ones in and around greater Los Angeles, are also unknown.
“These fires are not that large in terms of California wildfires, but it’s just so densely populated that public exposure impact is really high,” Bein said.
Finally, the ‘cherry on top,’ he said, is that the fires are burning structures, consumer products, and other materials. This alters the nature of the physical and chemical properties of the air pollution.
Furthermore, the manner in which such contaminants—whether in liquid or solid format—may end up in soil, water, or even interior premises of houses that have not caught fire in the longer term remains ambiguous.
Once the fires are brought under check, then wind and gravity are able to carry some particles out of the atmosphere in regard to some big molecules present. Moving particles, the gases, and the fine particles could remain in the atmosphere for a longer time.
It is possible that the soiled particles return to the air through the wind or movement, which might be seen during the cleanup, as reported by USA Today.
Currently, authorities advise the public to search for air quality and avoid going outside when the levels are high. Indoors, the air should be as clean as possible, and doors and windows should remain closed, and everybody should use efficient air filters or air conditioners that do not draw air directly from outside.