As Santa Ana winds fuel wildfire concerns in Los Angeles County, health officials warn of another danger: ash and dust from active fire zones and burn scars. The county issued a windblown dust and ash advisory, urging residents to take precautions against respiratory and other health risks associated with wildfire smoke and particulate matter.
As Santa Ana wind conditions continue to fuel concerns about the resurgence of wildfires across Los Angeles County , health officials are issuing a stark warning about another hazardous threat carried by the wind: ash and dust from active fire zones and burn scars. On Tuesday, the county Department of Public Health issued a windblown dust and ash advisory, which remains in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday.
During this period, ash may be dispersed from the Palisades and Eaton fire areas, as well as from the burn scars of the Hurst, Kenneth, Line, Airport, and Bridge fires, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The advisory emphasizes that while these windblown ash particles may be too large to be detected by standard air quality monitoring instruments and won't significantly impact Air Quality Index levels, they are readily visible to the naked eye, both in the air and on outdoor surfaces. Experts stress that wildfire smoke poses a serious health risk to everyone, and residents should be vigilant about the potential adverse effects of this pollutant. Anne Kelsey Lamb, Director of Regional Asthma Management and Prevention, explains, 'The main component of smoke is particulate matter, and that can penetrate deep into the lungs, directly causing respiratory issues. It can also enter the bloodstream, leading to a range of other health problems.'Wildfire smoke can be particularly detrimental to the lungs of individuals considered at-risk, including children whose lungs are still developing, pregnant women, older adults, and those with existing conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart disease, or diabetes, according to the American Lung Association. Exposure to air pollution like wildfire smoke can even trigger asthma in otherwise healthy individuals, Lamb adds. As wildfires become increasingly common, research is revealing that wildfire smoke, depending on its composition, can be even more dangerous to public health than other types of air pollution. A 2022 study published in the journal Science Advances by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation estimated that over 55,000 premature deaths occurred in an 11-year period due to inhaling fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfires. Air pollutants from wildfires pose a threat not only to communities directly affected by the fires but also to areas far beyond the immediate fire zone. Lamb points out that during the 2018 Camp fire in Butte County, researchers detected smoke containing lead 150 miles away from the fire origin. 'Even individuals who are not in close proximity to the fire are likely experiencing some of the impacts of the smoke,' she emphasizes. 'I encourage everyone in the broader region to take the same precautions that we would recommend for someone directly in the fire's path.' The concern surrounding wildfire smoke from Los Angeles-area fires stems partly from the fact that, in addition to PM2.5, it may contain harmful components that originated from burning structures, including houses, furniture, and vehicles. Toxic chemicals released from plastics, paint, and other building materials are just a few examples of what is being burned and subsequently released into the air, explained Anthony Wexler, Director of the Air Quality Research Center at UC Davis. Researchers are still working to fully understand the specific toxicity levels of these chemical pollutants during a fire event. Early experiments conducted in Wexler's lab suggest that burning building materials may be more toxic than burning wood, but more data is needed to confirm this. In light of this uncertainty, Wexler advises, 'People should protect themselves as much as possible.' Both local and regional public health officials recommend that vulnerable individuals remain indoors with windows and doors closed to maintain clean indoor air. Wexler lightheartedly suggests, 'You have permission to be a couch potato, as long as you have electricity to watch TV.' The more time spent outdoors, the greater the exposure to harmful air pollutants. If outdoor activities are unavoidable, experts recommend wearing an N95 mask. These masks are the only type that effectively filter out damaging fine particles, Lamb notes. 'Surgical masks allow too much air to pass through because they don't have a tight fit,' she explains. 'They don't filter out as fine particles as an N95 mask.' Research on cloth masks during wildfire smoke has shown that they can actually increase exposure because smoke particles can settle within the material and be continuously inhaled, Lamb adds.
Wildfire Smoke Air Quality Health Risks Ash Dust Los Angeles County Santa Ana Winds Particulate Matter PM2.5 Respiratory Issues Asthma
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