Santa Clarita residents are reporting Saturday seeing smoke from the Soberanes Fire in Monterey County, near Big Sur, which has burned 34,000 acres and destroyed 57 homes.
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There are no new fires near the Santa Clarita Valley, according to officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Air quality in the Santa Clarita Valley is being affected by the smoke from the Sobranes Fire, as well as high temperatures in the valley, with the national weather service reporting the air is unhealthy for those with respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Air quality is predicted to become worse Sunday, with a quality rating in the red — meaning that all residents should stay inside and avoid breathing in the outside air.
Here are some tips to avoid the unhealthy air:
Residents should avoid any vigorous outdoor activity, especially those with respiratory and heart disease, as they are more vulnerable to changes in air quality.
Get live news updates about Santa Clarita by following KHTS on Facebook and KHTS on TwitterThose with heart or respiratory issues, older adults and children should stay indoors as much as possible.
Homeowners should run their air conditioner and close the “fresh air intake” to prevent harmful materials from entering the house through the filter.
All windows in the house should remain closed, as well as any fireplaces. Whole-house fans should remain off.
Pets are also in danger due to the heat and low air quality.
“We like to remind the public of during the warm summer months,” said Shirly Miller, PIO for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. “On a warm day, temperatures can rise dangerously high in a matter of minutes in a car, even if the window is rolled down.”
She added that if pets are left in a hot car, the owner could be fined.
Despite new “hot dog” laws on the November Ballot, Sheriff’s station officials are discouraging witnesses from taking the matter into their own hands, asking members of the public to call the sheriff’s department if they see an animal trapped in a car.
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s station can be reached at 661-255-1121. In case of a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
The Sobranes Fire is catching Santa Clarita residents when they are still on edge, as the community is starting to recover from he Sand Fire, which burned through the eastern part of the valley for over a week and is currently at 93 percent containment Saturday.
Read the latest on the Sand Fire here.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.
We were in Paso Robles all week and the smoke was heavy from the Big Sur fire. It followed us home on Thursday up till lost hills. Praying for our firefighters and our state.