The city of Los Angeles is enveloped in a thick blanket of hazardous smoke as wildfires continue to rage across Southern California. The fires, which have destroyed thousands of structures and forced many to evacuate, have also led to widespread health warnings as residents struggle to breathe.
“It’s not breathable,” said Dulce Perez, a cook at Teddy’s Cocina in Pasadena. “We just try to stay indoors.”
The air quality in the United States’ second-largest city has deteriorated significantly, with ash, soot, and smoke turning the air into a lung-burning hazard. Air purifiers have sold out at many stores, and some residents are taping their windows to keep the smoke out of their homes.
Firefighters have begun gaining control over two major wildfires on the eastern and western edges of LA as the fierce winds that have fueled the fires for days finally eased. However, despite improved conditions, an air quality alert remained in effect, with dangerous particulate matter levels measuring around four times higher than World Health Organization guidelines.
Health Risks from Wildfire Smoke
The wildfires, fanned by strong winds and fueled by bone-dry vegetation after a prolonged dry spell, broke out on Tuesday and have burned over 137 square kilometers. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to ash in some parts of LA.
Wildfire smoke carries noxious gases and particulate matter that make it more toxic than typical air pollution. It not only results from burning plants and trees but also from buildings, vehicles, and other materials containing plastics, fuels, and chemicals. Studies have linked exposure to wildfire smoke with increased rates of heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory issues, as well as weakened immune systems.
“The levels of wildfire smoke we’ve seen in LA these past few days imply between a 5 to 15 percent increase in daily mortality,” said Carlos Gould, an environmental health scientist at the University of California San Diego.
As the community grapples with the immediate dangers, authorities are urging residents to stay indoors, use air purifiers if possible, and wear masks when outside to reduce inhalation of harmful particles.
Reference(s):
Breathing dangerously: Wildfires blanket LA in hazardous smoke
cgtn.com
