Due to fire activity in the Antelope Valley, air quality in parts of Los Angeles County may be affected. Health officials urge all residents living and working in areas of visible smoke or where there is an odor of smoke to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity. “Everyone should avoid any outdoor or indoor exertion or exercise in smoke-impacted areas,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “In areas where smoke may not be visible, but may still be impacted by this fire, we are advising sensitive individuals, such as those with heart disease, asthma, or other respiratory disease, to stay indoors as much as possible. We are also advising schools that are in session in smoke-impacted areas to suspend physical activities, including physical education and after-school sports, until conditions improve.”

Non-school related sports organizations, such as AYSO, for children and adults are advised to cancel outdoor practices in areas where there is visible smoke, soot, or ash, or where there is an odor of smoke. This also applies to other recreational outdoor activity, such as hikes or picnics,  in these areas.

The following recommendations will help protect you and your family from harm effects of bad air quality:

• If outdoor air is bad, try to keep indoor air as clean as possible by keeping doors and windows closed. Air conditions that recirculate air within the home can help filter out harmful particles. Avoid using air conditioning units that only draw in air from the outside or that do not have a recirculating option.
• People can participate in indoor sports or other strenuous activity with visible smoke, soot or ash, provided the indoor location has air conditioning that does not draw air from the outside, and it has closed windows and doors to protect the cleanliness of indoor air.
• If you have symptoms· of lung or heart disease that may be related to smoke exposure, including severe coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea or unusual fatigue or lightheadedness, contact your  doctor immediately or go to an urgent care center.

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do,  please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter: LAPublicHealth.