Air Pollution Prompts Ban On Wood Burning In Elsinore, Wildomar

LAKE ELSINORE-WILDOMAR, CA — Residents in much of the Southland are prohibited from indoor and outdoor wood burning Thursday due to a forecast of high air pollution in the area, the South Coast Air Quality Management District said.

The mandatory wood-burning ban will be in effect through 11:59 p.m. Thursday for all those in the South Coast Air Basin, including Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Lake Elsinore and Wildomar fall within the ban area.

In addition to wood, the burning of manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper, is also prohibited.

The order from the South Coast Air Quality Management District does not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet, the Coachella Valley or the high desert.

Fine particles in wood smoke, also known as particulate matter or PM2.5, can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems such as asthma.

Residents can receive no-burn day notifications by signing up for Air Alerts via email or text at www.AirAlerts.org.

—City News Service; Toni McAllister