Fireworks continue in LA County despite ban
By Staff Writer
Air quality throughout most of Los Angeles County, including Santa Monica, ranged from unhealthy to very unhealthy Sunday following a weekend of fireworks.
Los Angels County typically experiences some of its worst air quality on the 4th and 5th of July due to particulate matter and metal air pollutants from fireworks. Despite a ban on fireworks display this year in LA County, the air quality Sunday still suffered from illegal fireworks being ignited across the county.
Sunday morning in Santa Monica the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassed 200, considered “very unhealthy”. Sunday afternoon the AQI remained above 150, considered “unhealthy”. The effects of the air quality were evident Sunday in Santa Monica, with a haze obscuring neighboring Venice and Pacific Palisades.
Earlier in the week, Los Angeles County announced it was temporarily banning fireworks displays and shutting down beaches to prevent crowding over the holiday weekend in an attempt to slow a surge in cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).