Full Notification

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has issued a smoke advisory today for areas near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach due to a wharf fire at the port of Los Angeles.

SCAQMD advises that in areas impacted by the fire, where residents can see or smell smoke – individuals should avoid outdoor exposure and activity if possible.

Areas of direct smoke impacts and poor air quality may include:

- Portions of south coastal areas of Los Angeles County including Carson, Long Beach, Wilmington, Signal Hill, Lakewood, Cerritos, Artesia, and Hawaiian Gardens;

- Portions of southwest coastal areas of Los Angeles County including Commerce, Compton, Bell Gardens, Downey, Paramount, Bellflower, La Mirada and portions of Cerritos, Whittier, Montebello and Pico Rivera; and

- Portions of the north coastal areas of Orange County including Seal Beach, Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa.

With the sea breeze this morning, more on-shore areas may also experience smoke.

In any area impacted by smoke:

Everyone should avoid any vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should remain indoors. Keep windows and doors closed or seek alternate shelter. Run your air conditioner if you have one. Do not use a swamp cooler or whole-house fan to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.

Paper or surgical masks do not adequately protect the wearer from smoke.

To subscribe to air quality alerts, advisories and forecasts by e-mail, go to AirAlerts.org.

To view current air quality conditions by region in an interactive map, see http://www3.aqmd.gov/webappl/gisaqi2/home.aspx

For more tips on avoiding health impacts from smoke, see http://www.aqmd.gov/home/library/public-information/publications#factsheet