A structure fire in Boyle Heights has entered its sixth day, with smoke and air quality warnings affecting parts of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles Unified schools are relocating activities from multiple east side campuses as regulators report conditions rangi
The smoke started to thin, then thickened again—just enough to keep people indoors and make school schedules feel fragile.
In Boyle Heights, the fire in the 1400 block of Los Palos Street has now entered its sixth day. Several schools on Los Angeles’ east side are temporarily relocating activities this week because the structure fire continues to spew smoke and fumes into the surrounding community. even as crews make progress on extinguishing it.
Los Angeles Unified School District announced Sunday evening that activities scheduled at Dena Elementary and Dacotah Early Education Center will be relocated to Sunrise Elementary School on East 7th Street. Eastman Early Education Center activities are being moved to Humphreys Elementary. and Stevenson Middle School activities will shift to Belvedere Middle School.
Fire crews have removed sections of exterior walls, improving access. But the Los Angeles Fire Department said the property’s construction is still creating conditions that slow down the effort. A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson said Sunday evening that even with wider access. collapsed roof supports and other structural elements continue to create “complex and unstable conditions that require a cautious and methodical approach.”.
The department warned that air and visibility gains may not be permanent on any given day. While “smoke conditions have improved significantly and are expected to continue improving as firefighters make progress extinguishing the fire. ” intermittent increases in smoke may occur as firefighters open walls and search for concealed hotspots to put out hidden flames.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore said that if the pace continues, the fire should be out by week’s end.
Air quality has been a parallel emergency. Regulatory monitors showed air quality levels ranging from “unhealthy for sensitive groups” to “very unhealthy” since Saturday night across areas of Los Angeles County. the San Gabriel Valley and northwest San Bernardino Valley. East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and the San Gabriel Valley are expected to continue feeling smoke effects on Monday.
The city and state have already responded on the ground level: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom jointly declared a state of emergency Saturday due to unhealthful air quality.
The fire began Wednesday at a massive commercial building covering about 500,000 square feet. It has been difficult to fight largely because of the building’s size and the fact that flames are in hard-to-reach areas.
Lineage Logistics, the tenant-operator of the building, said in a statement it believes the fire began while third-party contractors were testing the solar array on the roof.
To reach the blaze, firefighters have used water-dropping helicopters and other heavy equipment.
The days-long burn is now forcing a choice between normal routines and caution—whether that means relocating classes for children at multiple campuses or keeping residents watchful as smoke fluctuates with each new opening in the structure.
Boyle Heights fire Los Angeles air quality warnings L.A. Unified school district relocation Sunrise Elementary Humphreys Elementary Belvedere Middle School Dena Elementary Dacotah Early Education Center Eastman Early Education Center Stevenson Middle School Los Angeles Fire Department Jaime Moore Karen Bass Gavin Newsom state of emergency