The ongoing wildfires in Southern California pose serious health risks, even for those far from the blaze, according to UCLA epidemiology professor Anne Rimoin.
"This fine particulate matter can go long distances," she said, and "penetrate deep into the lungs and become a real problem," Rimoin said. "It can even enter the bloodstream."
Rimoin warned that poor air quality can particularly impact individuals with chronic conditions, pregnant women, and children, CNN reported. She advised people to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed, and run air conditioners with air filters if available. Those needing to go outside should wear N95 masks.
However, some residents, including one family who fled Pasadena, reported that the smoke was still overwhelming, despite taking precautions.
A recent study in Nature Communications also found that the extreme heat from wildfires can turn naturally occurring metals in the soil into cancer-causing airborne particles.
"In the complex mixture of gasses and particles that wildfires spew out as smoke and leave behind as dust, heavy metals such as chromium have largely been overlooked," Scott Fendorf, co-author of the study and professor at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, said in a December press release.
Air quality has sharply deteriorated in many areas, including Altadena, California, which currently has an air quality index of 426, according to IQair. This falls into the "hazardous" category, the highest level on the air quality index scale, and surpasses the worst air quality in New Delhi over the past two days, as reported by Worldwide Air Quality.
With smoke and airborne particles spreading across the region, air quality alerts are in effect for much of Southern California, including Downtown Los Angeles. These alerts are set to last through Thursday, though they are expected to be extended as firefighters continue their efforts to gain control of the fires.
"Particle pollution can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks, and difficulty breathing. Everyone can be affected, but people with lung or heart disease, older adults, people who are pregnant, children, and those who spend a lot of time outdoors are at greater risk," the South Coast Air Quality Management District warned.
At least five people have lost their lives as multiple wind-driven wildfires continue to rage across Los Angeles County, with many still largely uncontained. The latest blaze, the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills, has prompted new evacuation orders.
The Palisades Fire, which is consuming the coastal area between Malibu and Santa Monica, has now spread across more than 17,000 acres with no containment. It has already destroyed at least 1,000 structures, making it the most destructive wildfire ever in Los Angeles County.
