The post-Fourth of July air quality is terrible yet again. Here's what you should know

It happens every year after the Fourth of July: the mountains are cloaked with a smoky haze and poor air quality alerts blanket the Southland. July 5th is always one of the worst days of the year when it comes to dangerously poor air quality.

In fact, on Friday, Southern California had the worst air quality in the entire state due to legal and illegal fireworks.

A screenshot of the US EPA's air quality website at about 11 am on July 5, 2024. The Southland had the worst air quality in the state due to fireworks, despite numerous fires up north. Click for the most recent information.

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Erin Stone

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LAist

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What are the risks?

And according to air quality officials, the pollution is a huge problem.

“Breathing fine particle pollution from fireworks or other sources of fine particle pollution, such as wildfires, can lead to a whole wide variety of heart and lung issues such as heart attacks, asthma attacks, difficulty breathing, and decreased lung function,” said Scott Epstein with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. “It can also potentially lead to premature death in people with heart or lung disease.”

Epstein said the pollution was worst overnight in South L.A. and part of Long Beach, but throughout the day it settled in the San Gabriel Valley, with peak air pollution in some areas such as Glendora and Azusa registering as hazardous — the worst ranking possible.

Fidel Figueroa, who lives in Glendora and works as a gardener, feels it every July 5.

“The smoke is really bad for, like, me who has bronchitis and asthma,” he said. “I feel like my lungs, they’re kind of tight.”

He said his sister, who also has respiratory issues, has to use a nebulizer and lock herself in the house this time of year.

How dangerous are the pollutants?

The main pollutant from fireworks is particulate matter 2.5, or PM 2.5, which can trigger asthma attacks and heart attacks. That’s also the main type of pollution associated with wildfire smoke and one of the most dangerous given it’s so small it can get deep into the lungs and into our bloodstreams.

That pollution has peaked, but ozone will be worse Friday afternoon and over the next few days at least due to the heat wave, especially in the Inland Empire, said Epstein.

“So it's really a two-pronged air pollution problem that we're seeing,” he said.

What can you do to protect yourself?

If you can, when air quality is bad in your area, Epstein recommends that you avoid strenuous outdoor exercise, stay indoors and run your air conditioning with a clean filter and use an air purifier. He added that N95 masks can also protect you from fine particle pollution.

You can monitor your local air quality at aqmd.gov or download the AQMD phone app. Sign up for air quality alerts here.