Air quality group issues advisory

An air quality advisory was issued for sensitive people in the Santa Clarita Valley today.

The county of Los Angeles Public Health Department issued a statement Thursday saying the air is unhealthy.

“People living or working in Santa Clarita Valley with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases should minimize outdoor activities,” said Los Angeles County Interim Health Officer, Jeffrey Gunzenhauser in a statement.

While the actual alerts come from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, or AQMD, a county public health spokesperson said the county takes the advisories and sends them out to the public, along with the advice from their health advisor.

On Thursday, the AQMD issued an alert based on smoke from wildfires moving through the area.

In particular, smoke from Cristianitos fire, burning at Camp Pendleton, was being blown into Orange County and portions of Los Angeles County.

The air quality index rating for Santa Clarita was projected to hit 132 today. The AQMD reports values between 101 and 150, the air is unhealthy for sensitive individuals. If the index reaches 151 to 200, everyone may begin to experience health effects.

Schools with children who have sensitive conditions, including heart disease, asthma, and other chronic respiratory diseases, should not participate in outdoor physical activity and should stay indoors as much as possible.

Five major air pollutants are measured by the Environmental Protection Agency as regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level Ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.