Fire burns in a fire pit.
Starting Monday, you'll want to check Southern California's air quality before lighting up the wood-burning fireplace or fire pit.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District's annual "Check Before You Burn'' season will begin Monday and continue through Feb. 28. That means
regulators are set to declare ``No-Burn Days'' when home fires could lead to
unhealthy air.
Stream Los Angeles News for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
Smoke from residential fireplaces is a major contributor to particulate matter levels during winter in the South Coast Air Basin. A total of 25 No-Burn Days were declared last winter.
Here's what to know.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning with NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
- When a No-Burn Day is declared, wood-burning will be banned for 24 hours in residential fireplaces, stoves or outdoor fire pits.
- The restrictions are most common on ``calm and cool winter days,'' according to the AQMD, when wood burning can put air quality into the unhealthy range.
- Click here for the AQMD's Check Before Your Burn map.
- You can sign up for no burn alerts here.
- Download the AQMD mobile app here.
