Winds driving smoke out of LA

The return of the Santa Ana winds is complicating the fight against the Woolsey Fire, but those gusty winds are also driving out smoke that have choked the greater LA area.

Air quality is improving, even as the tenacious wildfire continues to burn on both sides of the Ventura and Los Angeles county border.

As this air quality map shows, air quality is expected to be moderate across the LA basin today. The National Weather Service has released a model illustrating how the Santa Ana winds are expected to continue pushing the smoke out of the LA area and over the ocean.

No-burn days are still in effect through Monday for the areas covered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Residents were warned not to use their fireplaces, fire pits, or burn wood or manufactured logs due to the high level of air pollution from the fires.

The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District predicted yesterday that the worst air in Ventura County would be in Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, and Camarillo, where ash may continue to fall.

Red flag warnings have been issued in both counties through Tuesday evening. The high winds are largely blowing smoke out toward the ocean, but the gusts are also dry and strong, which can fan and spread fire, says National Weather Service meteorologist John Dumas.

“That’s not good for air quality, obviously,” he says.

• Firefighters brace for return of Santa Ana winds, 170,000 Los Angeles residents still under evacuation [Curbed LA]
• Woolsey Fire map: See where the wildfire is burning in Ventura, Los Angeles [Curbed LA]