Air quality officials extended a residential No-Burn Day alert for all those living in the South Coast Air Basin.
The alert is now slated to expire on Friday, Jan. 3, at 11:59 p.m.
Areas impacted by the alert include Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Residents are prohibited from burning wood in indoor and outdoor fireplaces on No-Burn Days. Additionally, residents are prohibited from burning manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper.
However, this alert does not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley or the High Desert. Homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and those without natural gas service are also exempt from the requirement. Gas and other non-wood-burning fireplaces are not restricted.
“Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems. Particles in wood smoke — also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks), increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations,” according to AQMD.