FIRE, WEATHER CAUSE SPIKE IN L.A. SMOG.

Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer

The Los Angeles Basin saw a 36 percent increase in the number of smoggy days during the season that ends today, a jump that air quality officials blamed on wildfires and weather conditions.

From May 1 through today, the level of ozone exceeded the national health standard on 49 days, compared with 36 days last year, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Still, with the exception of Santa Clarita Valley, which was cloaked in smoke from local brush fires for several weeks, air regulators said Los Angeles' air quality this summer was pretty much the same as last summer.

``Across Los Angeles County, Orange County and parts of San Bernardino County, the numbers really didn't change,'' said Joe Cassmassi, senior meteorologist with the AQMD. ``We still feel we'll be meeting the (national health) standard by 2010.''

Air quality activists warn that Los Angeles could easily backslide on the smog improvements if local, state and federal regulators don't crack down on pollution from vehicles and industrial operations.

``We're certainly hopeful the spike is a one-time episode,'' said Todd Campbell, policy director with the Coalition for Clean Air. ``But look behind the numbers. There's a growing population and growing number of vehicles on the road that were designed as work vehicles.''

AQMD officials said ozone levels have been on the decline over the past decades, even with the population increase. More pollution cuts are planned for buses, garbage trucks, oil refiners, paint products and dairies, AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood said.

But cars, trucks and other mobile sources continue to make up about 70 percent of LA's ozone problem, even as newer cars replace older, dirtier models. Part of the problem, Campbell said, are the bulky sport utility vehicles and large trucks that are among the region's top-selling automobiles, despite the fact that they spew more emissions than a typical passenger car.

Car buyers haven't put a priority on air quality, said Chris Cedergren with Nextrend, an auto industry market research and consulting company in Los Angeles.

``Something has to be blatantly obvious to consumers before they'll change their behavior,'' Cedergren said.

And the minor spike this year in smoggy days probably wasn't noticeable to most people.

Ozone - created when intense sunlight reacts with particles in the air - can cause chest pain, nose and throat irritation; exacerbate asthma and respiratory conditions; and can cause permanent lung damage. Recent studies conducted in Southern California have shown that active children who play sports in ozone-polluted areas are more likely to develop asthma.

This summer, the eastern San Fernando Valley had fewer days exceeding the ozone health standard. However, the monitoring station in Reseda registered nine days over the limit - more than four times the number recorded in 2001.

Cassmassi said the West Valley likely suffered from pollution blowing over from Santa Clarita, which had 32 days over the national health standard for ozone, compared with 26 days in 2001.

Despite the spike this year, the smoggiest day of the summer registered the lowest peak ozone concentration since the mid-1950s.

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Chart:

OZONE LEVELS FROM 1976 TO 2002

SOURCE: South Coast Air Quality Management District