Air quality is bad, Long Beach. Just stay inside if you can.
Levels of the inhalable microscopic pollutants known as PM2.5 are high and outdoor exercise should be limited.
If you have a smartphone and have checked the weather today, you may have noticed an “air quality alert.” If not, here is your warning: The air in Long Beach is “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and has been for over a week.
The day after Christmas, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a “no burn” notice due to poor air quality. The no-burn rule bans burning wood, pellets and manufactured fire logs indoors or outdoors throughout the region.
Despite the no-burn notice, air quality continues to be unhealthy as of Thursday, according to numerous weather and air quality tracking sites.
The cause of the poor air quality, as well as the persistent haze, is PM2.5, or particulate matter 2.5, which is a term for inhalable microscopic pollutants that can enter the bloodstream. PM2.5 is made up of numerous pollutants from a variety of sources, including vehicles, wildfires, residential wood burning, smoking, power plants and more.
In Long Beach, the level of PM2.5 Thursday is 41 micrograms per cubic meter, according to IQAir.com — or more than eight times the World Health Organization’s annual guideline value.
The overall air quality index for the city is around 120, which is “unhealthy,” but an improvement from Wednesday, according to the weather app.
According to the California Air Resources Board, short-term exposure to PM2.5 has been associated with a number of adverse health impacts, including “premature mortality, increased hospital admissions for heart or lung causes, acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, emergency room visits, respiratory symptoms, and restricted activity days.” The effects are typically reported in infants, children and older adults with preexisting conditions, the agency noted.
IQAir recommends limiting outdoor exercise, closing windows and using air purifiers. Additionally, sensitive groups are encouraged to wear a mask outdoors.
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