The South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended its residential no-burn alert to Saturday for all those living in the South Coast Air Basin, which includes the Santa Clarita Valley.   The alert went into effect on Friday at midnight and will now remain until Saturday at 11:59 p.m.  “South Coast AQMD reminds residents in these areas that burning wood in their fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device is prohibited at any time on no-burn days,” reads an AQMD news release. “The no-burn rule prohibits burning wood as well as manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper.”  No-burn day alerts are mandatory in order to protect public health when levels of fine particulate air pollution in the region are forecast to be high anywhere in the South Coast Air Basin, according to the release. No-burn days are based on fine particulate pollution that is forecasted for an entire 24-hour period, which may not be reflected in real-time air quality maps.   “Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems,” the release states. “Particles in wood smoke — also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks), increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.”   Residents can help reduce the harmful health effects of wood smoke by signing up to receive e-mail alerts at www.AirAlerts.Org to learn when a mandatory no-burn day alert is issued.    The alerts do not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation or in the High Desert. Homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and those without natural gas service are also exempt.   Gas and other fireplaces that do not use wood are not restricted.   South Coast AQMD’s “Check Before You Burn” program is in effect from November through the end of February, when particulate levels are highest. Ten no-burn day alerts have been issued for the 2024-2025 season thus far.   For 24-hour recorded information, call 866-966-3293. An interactive map with the current “Check Before You Burn” status is available at www.aqmd.gov/CheckBeforeYouBurnMap.   South Coast AQMD is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley. For news, air quality alerts, event updates and more, go to aqmd.gov.  The post AQMD extends no-burn alert through Saturday  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.