Much of Southern California has been placed under a wood burning ban due to poor air quality in the area.
The ban went into effect Wednesday and will last until at least Thursday evening at 11:59 p.m., according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
All people living in Orange County and the South Coast Air Basin, including non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, will be affected by the no-burn order.
However, the order is not in effect for people living in mountain communities higher than 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley and the high desert. Homeowners who rely on wood as their only heat source, low-income households and people who do not have a natural gas connection are exempt.
Burning wood both indoors and outdoors is prohibited, as is burning manufactured fire logs.
SCAQMD officials say fine particles in wood smoke, also known as PM2.5 or particulate matter, can enter people’s lungs and cause breathing problems.
