Los Angeles, CA – The morning haze hangs low over the basin, softening the downtown skyline as sunlight filters through a gray-brown glow. It’s a beautiful yet troubling scene — calm air, warm sunshine, and poor air quality that refuses to move.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has issued a mandatory No-Burn Order for Los Angeles County, extending through midweek. That means no wood-burning indoors or outdoors, including fire pits, manufactured logs, or pellets. The restriction covers much of the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties below 3,000 feet in elevation.
Stagnant weather is trapping pollutants close to the surface, creating conditions that can aggravate asthma, trigger coughing, and increase hospital visits. Residents are urged to avoid outdoor exertion, keep windows closed, and use air purifiers if possible. Those sensitive to smoke or particulate matter — including children, older adults, and anyone with respiratory conditions — should take extra precautions.
Otherwise, weather across Southern California remains pleasant and mild, with highs in the mid to upper 70s and mostly sunny skies through the end of the week. By the weekend, offshore breezes may help improve air quality slightly, though the long-term pattern stays dry.
To be fair, this is typical November weather in Los Angeles — clear, calm, and deceptively beautiful. For now, limit backyard fires and outdoor workouts until cleaner air returns later this week.
