Wildfires bring poor air quality to Southern California: Here's tips on how to stay safe

The aftermath of a heat wave and ongoing wildfires has left many Southern California residents dealing with poor air quality.

Monitors used by the South Coast Air Quality Management District have detected very unhealthy air quality in communities across San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange and Los Angeles counties, especially in cities like Big Bear, Fontana, Mira Loma, Ontario, Riverside, Anaheim, Crestline, Lake Elsinore, Glendora and Banning.

Whether you are directly impacted by the ongoing wildfires or live in nearby communities, here’s how you can stay safe amid poor air quality conditions.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Stay inside when air quality is “unhealthy.”
• Avoid exerting yourself outside, like exercising, as this will make you breathe harder and draw more pollutants into your lungs.
• Keep your windows closed and use an air filter. The Common Humanity Collective has instructions on how households can make affordable ones here.
• If you have an air conditioning system, change your filter regularly, and keep a high-efficiency filter on hand. Filters labeled “MERV13” or higher are most effective for removing smoke particles.
• Keep a few disposable respirators, such as N-95 or P-100, on hand in case you need to be outside in smoky conditions.
• Avoid using fireplaces, candles, or incense indoors as that can further impact air quality.
• Consider visiting a California Clean Air Center if you don’t have an AC unit or can’t filter the air in your home properly.
• Air quality alerts, current air quality conditions, and forecasts can be received by downloading the South Coast AQMD mobile app or visiting their website.