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4th Of July Fireworks Caused LA’s Air Quality To Crash
<A HREF="https://unsplash.com/photos/1i8xRkE8gXo">Jeffrey Hamilton/Unsplash</a>
Air quality reached hazardous levels in parts of Southern California on Sunday, as 4th of July pollutants stuck around even longer than usual thanks to stagnant weather conditions Saturday night.
“All the smoke from the fireworks very close to the ground [was trapped],” said Phillip Fine, a representative from the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Fireworks, both professional and amateur, emit high levels of metal and other particulates, which can exacerbate respiratory or cardiovascular illness. And fireworks were indeed set off this weekend, despite being illegal in the city of Los Angeles and Mayor Eric Garcetti’s cancellation of public displays.
The L.A. County Fire Department reported its second-busiest day ever on Saturday, with more than 1,600 calls, mostly involving tree, brush and roof fires likely caused by fireworks. The city’s fire department handled nearly 1,800 calls. At one point on Saturday night, the 9-1-1 system was so swamped that the LAPD asked the public not to call about illegal fireworks unless someone was injured, or to report a fire.
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Pollutants from fireworks have been dissipating since Sunday morning, but the South Coast Air Quality Management District still rated the air quality as “moderate to unhealthy.”
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
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