What parents should know about the air and the ash
Libby Rainey
is a general assignment reporter. She covers the news that shapes Los Angeles and how people change the city in return.
Published January 14, 2025 12:36 PM
Zahrah Mihm (L) holds her son Ethan as they look for clothes after being displaced by the Eaton Fire, at a donation center in Santa Anita Park, Arcadia.
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Etienne Laurent
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Wildfire smoke causes particularly dangerous air quality, especially for sensitive groups that include children and pregnant people.
What's in the air? "It's not just forest burning, but unfortunately, homes and businesses and factories with their own sets of plastics and toxins that… will be high levels of oxides, nitrates, and heavy metals that can be carcinogenic," said Richard Castriotta, a pulmonologist at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Why are particulates especially dangerous for pregnant people and young children? Because they have higher respiratory rates, according to Rita Kachru, the chief of allergy and immunology at UCLA. This means that these groups are breathing faster — so they inhale more pollutants per minute.
Keep reading... for advice on how to stay safe — for you and your kids.
Fires are still burning in parts of Los Angeles, and potentially dangerous winds continue to be a threat.
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2:09
What parents should know about wildfire air quality, ash, and protecting kids
Wildfire smoke causes particularly dangerous air quality, especially for sensitive groups that include children and pregnant people. The multiple fires that broke out last week led L.A. County to issue a smoke advisory that ended Sunday evening, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District extended a "windblown dust and ash advisory" through Wednesday evening.
Many families are still wondering, justly, how safe the air is. Facebook and Reddit groups for parents and caretakers have been bursting with questions about what children can or can't do, and making some version of the same inquiries: How can the air supposedly be OK when it’s filled with ash? And what does that mean for kids?
What’s in the air?
First, the risks.
Wildfire smoke includes small particles that can be dangerous for your health. (It’s called particulate matter 2.5).
As LAist has reported:
Depending on the fire, the smoke can be made up of various substances, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water vapor, particulate matter, organic chemicals, nitrogen oxides, and more. Exposure to smoke can cause a range of health effects, from eye and lung irritation to asthma and premature death.
"It's not just forest burning, but unfortunately, homes and businesses and factories with their own sets of plastics and toxins that… will be high levels of oxides, nitrates, and heavy metals that can be carcinogenic," said Richard Castriotta, a pulmonologist at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
How do I know what particulates are in the air?
The South Coast Air Quality Management District monitors particulates in our region, and is responsible forthe air quality index (or AQI). And experts say AQI is a good place to start. The SC AQMD marks 0-50 air quality as good, 51-100 as moderate, and anything higher as unhealthy for sensitive groups, which includes pregnant people and children.
But the AQI doesn't account for everything, said Michael Kleinman, co-director of the Air Pollution Health Effects Laboratory with UC Irvine's School of Population and Public Health.
"The particles from the fire, especially close to where the fire was, will be contaminated with other toxic materials, and they can be a harm hazard," he said.
The AQI is fine, but I'm still worried. What should I know?
Castriotta with USC said toxins from burning homes won't always be taken into consideration in the air quality index. And the closer you are to a fire or burned homes, the higher the risk of those contaminants in the air.
Listen
0:44
Driving near a wildfire area? Here's a car tip to stay safe
He said potentially toxic ash from burned buildings could get spread in the aftermath of a fire — but where it goes depends on the winds.
"If you're in Santa Monica close to the Palisades Fire, or if you're in Pasadena close to the Eaton Fire and the wind's blowing in that direction, then you probably want to keep your kids out of ... the outside air," he said.
Why are children and pregnant people at a higher risk around wildfire smoke?
These pollutants can be particularly dangerous for young children and pregnant people because they have higher respiratory rates, according to Rita Kachru, the chief of allergy and immunology at UCLA. This means that these groups are breathing faster — so they inhale more pollutants per minute.
"[Children are] considered a little bit more high-risk because they're a little bit more sensitive to the air pollution, because they tend to spend more time outside," Kachru said. "They tend to have more vigorous activity when they're running around outside. It's hard to tell a little 3-year-old, 'OK, go outside, but don't run around.'"
Children with pre-existing health conditions such as allergies and asthma may be at higher risk when it comes to wildfire smoke exposure, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
How do I protect myself and my kids from bad air quality?
The best mitigation is being out of environments with unhealthy air, said Mary Johnson, a research scientist at Harvard's School of Public Health.
" If you can stay away from the smoke and stay indoors, or go where the air quality is better, you should do it. It's always better to avoid exposure," she told LAist on Monday.
If you can't leave the area entirely, multiple health experts agreed that staying inside is important to staying healthy.
"I know we all have PTSD from COVID, and that's the last thing anybody wants to hear is stay indoors," Kachru said. "But really, that is the best thing you can do."
Staying healthy while indoors
Much of the advice for keeping children safe is the same as the guidance everyone is following. The CDC advises parents to:
Keep children indoors when air quality is poor
Keep doors and windows closed
If possible, use an HVAC system with an air filter or a portable air filter.
Kachru also recommends keeping infants and children cool and hydrated during a wildfire, for example by giving your child a cool bath.
"Keep them cool, so they don't have too much internal heat as well," she said.
And here are other tips we've compiled from our previous coverage and elsewhere:
Experts recommend a HEPA filter — worth noting, HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air — if you can get one. If you can't access an air filter, here's a guide to making your own out of a box fan.
The Environmental Protection Agency suggests creating a clean room in your home — a designated space to keep air quality as high as possible. It has a guide to setting this up here.
We have to go outside. What should we do?
If you have to be outside in bad air quality, wear an N-95 mask. Children over the age of 2 can also wear a mask, but make sure it fits properly.
" My suggestion is to make a game out of it, so that the child will accept it," said Castriotta with USC about helping your child to wear a mask.
He also said if you need to take your kids somewhere in a car, run the air conditioning and make sure the air that's circulating is just the air that's inside the car.
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
Check out LAist.com/FireFAQs to see if your question has already been answered. If not, submit your questions here, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
_
We evacuated and are returning to our home. How do I know it's safe?
The L.A. County Department of Public Health advises parents returning home after a wildfire to keep children away from ash and items covered in ash.
"Think of ash like fine, dangerous dust that can be inhaled deep into the lungs and can cause major problems everywhere it lands. It's not just dirt," a county advisory states.
Before returning with children to an area impacted by wildfire, the EPA and pediatric groups recommend you check for:
safe drinking water
running electricity
safe road conditions
structurally sound homes; and
sewage, ash, and debris have been removed
Kleinman with UC Irvine advises those returning home to wipe down walls and surfaces, and vacuum to clean the house. The county recommends a vacuum with a HEPA filter —a vacuum that sprays dust around could be counterproductive.
" Even though the ambient air, the outside air, is relatively clean, the air inside the home may be worse," Kleinman said.
He added that if you don't have an air quality monitor, looking for how much dust is accumulating is a good way to get a sense of indoor air quality.
And if you do return to a site where a home burned down, experts say to be careful afterward.
" Don't take your outer clothing that you wore into the fire zone and then wash it with the family laundry, because whatever toxic chemicals are there are going to be spread around," Kleinman said. " People have to be very cautious and avoid unnecessary exposure."
Learn more from an expert
On Jan. 22, we interviewed Kachru about all things air quality for an Instagram Live presentation. Watch it for yourself:
Nicolas Perez
is one of the producers for AirTalk and FilmWeek, hosted by Larry Mantle.
Published May 7, 2026 9:36 AM
An L.A. City Council motion passed Thursday would ban pretextual stops, in which police officers pull over a car or pedestrian for a minor violation as a way to investigate a more serious crime.
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Courtesy
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Chris Yarzab via Flickr
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Topline:
The L.A. City Council voted Wednesday to ban the Los Angeles Police Department’s use of pretextual stops, in which officers detain or pull over a person for a minor offense in order to investigate the them for a more serious crime.
Context: Civil rights activists have long said that pretextual stops disproportionately affect communities of color, an argument that data backs up. In 2022, the Police Commission updated LAPD policy to require officers making a pretextual stop to turn on their body cameras and explain why they plan to pull a car over or stop a pedestrian.
Yes, but: The City Council’s proposal does not immediately change LAPD policy. The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, which sets department policies, will ultimately decide if the practice should be banned. LAPD leaders have said in the past that eliminating pretextual stops could diminish the department’s ability to detect illegal activity.
Topline:
The L.A. City Council voted Wednesday to ban the Los Angeles Police Department’s use of pretextual stops, in which officers detain or pull over a person for a minor offense in order to investigate the them for a more serious crime.
Context: Civil rights activists have long said that pretextual stops disproportionately affect communities of color, an argument that data backs up. In 2022, the Police Commission updated LAPD policy to require officers making a pretextual stop to turn on their body cameras and explain why they plan to pull a car over or stop a pedestrian.
Yes, but: The City Council’s proposal does not immediately change LAPD policy. The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, which sets department policies, will ultimately decide if the practice should be banned. LAPD leaders have said in the past that eliminating pretextual stops could diminish the department’s ability to detect illegal activity.
What's next: The Police Commission will have to take up the proposal before it advances further.
A history of SoCal nuns challenging Catholic norms
Faheem Khan
is an Associate Producer for AirTalk and FilmWeek, assisting with live radio production and in-person events.
Published May 7, 2026 8:52 AM
Sister Corita Kent was an artist, designer, educator and one of the most prominent figures of IHM during the 60s.
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Courtesy Los Angeles Public Library
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Corita Kent. Art and Soul. The Biography.
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Topline:
Southern California was at the forefront of the 1960s counterculture movement. Hippies, Indian gurus and Scientologists were among the prominent groups seeking a newfound spirituality, but it was a local nunhood that came to challenge the Catholic hierarchy of the time.
Immaculate Heart Sisters: Originally founded in Spain in 1848, the Immaculate Heart Sisters flourished in Southern California in the 1960s after an invitation from the bishop in California brought 10 sisters to the United States. Led by broad-minded mother superiors, almost 200 sisters worked in L.A.’s Catholic schools, and were known for their diverse perspectives.
Why it matters: This led to lasting changes in the Catholic church — and those efforts largely happened right here in Southern California. Sister Lenore Navarro Dowling, a member of the Immaculate Heart Sisters since 1950, said, “Many of us went to get training to be a lawyer, a nurse, a social worker.”
Read on... for more on the history of the Immaculate Heart Sisters in L.A.
The Immaculate Heart Sisters of Mary (IHMs) — a Catholic community and teaching institute for women based in Los Angeles — has a long history of activism and social justice work, often resisting the status quo.
This led to lasting changes in the Catholic church — and those efforts largely happened right here in Southern California.
A California arrival, 1871
Originally founded in Spain in 1848, the Immaculate Heart Sisters landed in SoCal in 1871 after an invitation from the California bishop brought 10 sisters to the region.
By the 1920s and '30s, they had established the first all-girls Catholic high school and the first accredited Catholic girls college in Los Angeles, led by broad-minded mother superiors who were known for their wide-ranging ideas and perspectives.
“They weren’t afraid to invite people who might disagree with the church or with church policies,” Diane Winston, a Knight chair in media and religion at USC Annenberg, said during a conversation on AirTalk, LAist 89.3’s daily news show.
The group flourished in SoCal in the 1960s, which came at a time when the Catholic church started to reimagine itself. By 1962, the Vatican had its Second Vatican Council, a landmark meeting that led the Church to modernize.
Sisters in the 60s counterculture era
Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules, created around 1966–1967 by artist, educator, and nun Sister Corita Kent along with her students and colleagues.
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Corita Kent. Art and Soul. The Biography.
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Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library
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From the folk-rock enclave in Laurel Canyon to the six-day Watts uprising, L.A. was at the forefront of the 1960s counterculture and the civil rights movement.
At the same time, the demographics were rapidly changing. Urban populations expanded significantly as the expansion of African American and Latino communities in the city coincided with white flight.
This consequential period for the city prompted the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart to make their own decision to respond to the signs of the times.
Winston said she believes ideas surrounding “authenticity” in the '60s combined desires for self-realization and making the world a better place — and this informed how the sisters wanted to live, what professions they could serve and how they interacted with the world.
Sister Lenore Navarro Dowling, a member of the Immaculate Heart Sisters since 1950, said, “Many of us went to get training to be a lawyer, a nurse, a social worker.”
Sister Corita Kent
One of the most prominent figures of IHM during the 1960s was Sister Corita Kent, an artist known for her pop art prints combining words and images from commercials, political statements and brands.
“She took the big G logo from General Mills, and made it stand for the goodness of God as well as the goodness of life on this earth,” Winston said.
The Big G Stands for Goodness (1964) by Corita Kent.
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Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library
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Corita Kent. Art and Soul. The Biography
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Corita Kent's "Sunkist" (1965) .
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Corita Kent. Art and Soul. The Biography
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Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library
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Corita Kent's (1985) 22-cent "Love" stamp.
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Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library
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Corita Kent. Art and Soul. The Biography
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"Eight Men Slain" Corita Kent's "Eight Men Slain," part of the "My People" series (1965).
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Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library
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Corita Kent. Art and Soul. The Biography.
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Dowling said it was revolutionary at the time for sisters to feel free to make choices.
“Making changes turned out to be an act of resistance,” Dowling said, adding, “We were in solidarity with one another in resistance to the administration of the Catholic Church.”
IHM today
The sisters of IHM function today as a network of Catholic parishes, schools and congregations across the nation that represent various professions that active sisters pursue.
Dowling said the nuns are still extremely active in social justice causes.
“Standing our ground is a core value,” she said.
Listen
Listen
16:48
SoCal History: California’s counterculture nuns
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Redondo Beach could see a high of 70 degrees today.
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Mel Melcon
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iStockphoto
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QUICK FACTS
Today’s weather: Cloudy morning then sunny
Beaches: Mid-60s to low 70s
Mountains: Mid-60s to low 70s
Inland: 81 to 89 degrees
Warnings and advisories: None
What to expect: Some morning clouds followed by a sunny afternoon. Temperatures to reach the mid 80s for some areas, and up into the triple digits in some parts of Coachella Valley.
Read on ... for where it's going to be the warmest today.
QUICK FACTS
Today’s weather: Cloudy morning, then sunny
Beaches: Mid-60s to low 70s
Mountains: Mid-60s to low 70s
Inland: 81 to 89 degrees
Warnings and advisories: None
As promised, warm temperatures are on tap for Southern California today.
Areas closer to the coast will wake up with partly cloudy skies, but otherwise we're in for mostly sunny conditions all day.
At L.A and Orange county beaches temperatures will stick around the upper 60s, and up to the low 70s for the inland coast.
For L.A. County valleys, temperatures will range from 79 to 87 degrees. Meanwhile, the Inland Empire will see highs of up to 89 degrees.
And in Coachella Valley, temperatures there will warm up to the mid 90s — up to 101 degrees in some areas.
Unique Markets is a great place to find last-minute gifts this weekend.
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Courtesy Unique Inc.
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In this edition:
Clockshop’s annual Kite Festival, UCLA hosts work about the fires, a kids' book fair at the Japanese American National Museum and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
Clockshop’s free annual Kite Festival takes over the L.A. State Historic Park, giving you a chance to enter your homemade kite into a competition, check out artist-commissioned kites and an inflatable sculpture, and, of course, participate in a free kite-making workshop.
The second annual Nikkei Children’s Book Festival brings children’s book authors and illustrators to the Japanese American National Museum for a fun day celebrating the love of reading.
Spend Friday afternoon and evening than at UCLA, exploring a new collection of interactive exhibits and music created by artists impacted by last year’s Palisades and Eaton fires.
This past week, I had the pleasure of meeting a group of artists in Venice who are creating installations that are open 24/7 right on the boardwalk, and doing free pop-up opera and other performances at night all summer long. Being a Venice local, it’s been so fun to see these projects come in along an otherwise pretty quiet stretch of Ocean Front Walk — take a stroll there this summer and you never know what or who you might see.
Licorice Pizza has your weekend music picks. On Friday, Muna begins their two-night run at Shrine Expo Hall, and Wu Lyf plays the first of two nights at the Lodge Room. Plus, Snow Tha Product is at The Novo, Fishbone plays the Teragram, and Netflix Is a Joke has two music-focused events: Beautifully Broken Comedy with Jelly Roll at the Greek, and A Visit From ‘Portlandia’ with Fred & Carrie at the Ford. The dream of the '90s is alive! Saturday, the Netflix fun continues with two nights of Flight of the Conchords at the Greek; on Sunday, Rodrigo y Gabriela are at the YouTube Theater and Norah Jones is at Pacific Electric.
Last weekend, I strolled down to the free jazz shows on Third Street Promenade and was happy to see so many folks out for the music. This week, the fest continues with its marquee events, including Kamasi Washington (the festival’s organizer), jazz legend Stanley Washington (with Stewart Copeland of The Police) and many more greats taking the stage at Santa Monica’s Tongva Park.
Venice Art Walk
Through Sunday, May 17 910 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice COST: FREE; MORE INFO
8-27-006 001
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Ed Templeton
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Venice Family Clinic Art Exhibition
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Check out dozens of artworks from established, mid-career, and emerging artists — and maybe even snap one up — at the annual Venice Art Walk, benefiting the Venice Family Clinic. This year’s Signature Artist is L.A. artist Alison Saar; the gallery and the online auction are free to peruse and open to the public all week long.
Unique Markets
Saturday and Sunday, May 9 and 10 Cooper Design Space 860 S. Los Angeles St., Downtown L.A. COST: FROM $11.54; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Unique Inc.
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Bring mom to pick out her own perfect gift at this spring’s Unique Markets at the Cooper Design Space penthouse. The Unique Market has a knack for finding brands that go on to become L.A. cool-kid household names, like Hedley & Bennett, P.F. Candle Co., CoolHaus, Poke'To and more. There are also free drinks, a free DIY charm-making station and a photo booth with free Polaroid prints.
JANM’s Nikkei Children’s Book Festival
Saturday, May 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Japanese American National Museum 100 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo COST: $10 ADULTS, KIDS FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy JANM
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The second annual Nikkei Children’s Book Festival brings children’s book authors and illustrators to the Japanese American National Museum for a fun day celebrating the love of reading. In the morning, there’s a special reading of Ken Mochizuki’s Baseball Saved Us (9:30 a.m.), plus a session with Maggie Tokuda Hall, the author of Love in the Library and a national leader of Authors Against Book Bans. An afternoon session (1 p.m.) features Korey Watari, the author of Kimi the Ballerina, and Mike Wu, a Pixar artist and the illustrator of Kimi the Ballerina. Many more authors and illustrators will be on hand, plus there will be arts and crafts, signings, a pop-up book store and more.
Firebirth
Friday, May 8, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Herb Alpert School of Music Lani Hall Theater 445 Charles E. Young Drive East, Westwood COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Mural by wemok_art/Photo by Michele Yamamoto
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I don’t think there’s a better place you could spend Friday afternoon and evening than at UCLA, exploring a new collection of interactive exhibits and music created by artists impacted by last year’s Palisades and Eaton fires. From a custom Fender Stratocaster crafted for San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity from trees that were damaged around the Eaton Fire to listening and viewing stations for works from local artists, including the L.A. Field Recording Club, there are all kinds of ways to explore how the community has responded and processed grief and resilience over the past year. A panel conversation features Chris Douridas (KCRW), Jessica Schwartz (UCLA Musicology), Liz Koslov (UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability) and Kim Yu (Altadena Town Council, Caltech), followed by a closing concert with works from UCLA students and faculty, including the Herbie Hancock Institute Band and the Los Angeles premiere of Will Rand’s Firebirth with violinist Grace Alexander.
L.A. Art Book Fair
Through Sunday, May 10 Printed Matter ArtCenter College of Design, South Campus 960 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena COST: $8, FREE ON SUNDAY; MORE INFO
So much more than just a collection of art books, the annual L.A. Art Book Fair is organized by Printed Matter and features a whole weekend of DJs, live music and exhibitions. This year’s projects include an archival show of newspapers by Chicano in Print; a curated selection of Ed Ruscha's expansive Sunset Strip project by The Getty Research Institute; artifacts of pre-Y2K Asian girlhood from the '90s band Emily’s Sassy Lime (E.S.L.), organized by Ooga Booga; and a site-specific billboard project by Werkplaats Typografie that evolves over the course of the fair.
PICASSO: Le Monstre Sacré
Through Sunday, May 17 Odyssey Theatre 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A. COST: $38, MORE INFO
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Brigitta Scholz Mastroianni
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NUX Photography
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If you saw Hannah Gadsby’s stand-up special Nanette, perhaps you also will never be able to read Picasso’s name without whispering Pablo Pic-asshole to yourself. It’s no secret that Picasso, like many brilliant artists, had a dark side, and this new play, coming to the Odyssey straight from London, explores just that. British actor Peter Tate and Olivier Award-winning director Guy Masterson bring their production here for just two weeks.
Clockshop Kite Festival
Saturday, May 9, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. L.A. State Historic Park 1245 N. Spring St., Downtown L.A. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Let’s go fly a kite! Clockshop’s free annual Kite Festival takes over the L.A. State Historic Park, giving you a chance to enter your homemade kite into a competition, check out artist-commissioned kites and an inflatable sculpture, and, of course, participate in a free kite-making workshop.
