As more than a dozen of small and large wildfires burn across Southern California amid a heat wave and dry conditions, officials Monday warned about unhealthy air quality as well as the possibility of having more brush fires in the region.
'Unhealthy' air
As warm temperatures trap the smoke and particles emitted from the brush fires, most of Southern California falls under the “unhealthy” air quality category, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The Inland Empire, where the Line Fire has burned more than 20,000 acres of land, is under a smoke advisory as the air quality is considered unhealthy to very unhealthy for seniors as well as the general population due to a high level of pollutants in the air.
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“Even in areas far from fires or areas not covered by a smoke advisory, if you can smell smoke or see ash from a wildfire, avoid or limit outdoor activities,” the AQMD said.
In Orange County, the air quality in Orange County is considered unhealthy.
The air quality forecast said the Los Angeles County area could see moderate to unhealthy air quality.
More fire dangers
In addition to the triple-digit temperatures Southern California faced Monday, gusty winds and lightning elevated fire conditions across mountains, valleys and deserts, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned.
The NWS issued a red flag warning of heightened fire danger for the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, San Gabriel Mountains, Western Antelope Valley Foothills and the 5 and 14 Freeway corridors until 10 p.m. Saturday.
Forecasters said wind conditions will “limit the potential for classic red flag criteria,'' however, “there is a history of large fires with similar weather conditions during this time of the year.''
The NWS said humidity levels could drop to between 8% and 15% in the red flag areas, with little recovery during overnight hours.
Due to the high heat and heightened fire risk, Malibu's Trancas Canyon Park and Charmlee Wilderness Park were closed until further notice, according to the city.
Smokey hurdle for fire crews
Pyrocumulus, which are dense clouds associated with fires and volcanoes, were seen near the sites of the Bridge and Line Fires Monday, affecting firefighters' visibility.
The cumulus cloud can sometimes be mixed with clouds, NBC Los Angeles meteorologist David Biggar said.
"The main threats for firefighters from these are collapsing pyrocumulus clouds, creating gusty and erratic winds," Biggar said.
The winds and updrafts can also loft embers, which could lead to spot fires and create more challenges for firefighters.
City News Service contributed to this report.
