A large warehouse fire in Boyle Heights has continued to burn for a fifth day, sending heavy smoke across East Los Angeles and surrounding areas, officials said. The blaze, which began Wednesday at a 500,000-square-foot commercial storage facility owned by Lineage Logistics, has raised concerns among residents, local leaders, and public health experts due to its persistence and the environmental hazards posed by burning materials.

The facility stores approximately 85 million pounds of frozen food, and its steel corrugated walls are filled with dense foam. Fire Chief Laura Moore stated that the steel paneling has likely protected much of the foam from combustion, but the fire continues to produce noxious gases despite firefighting efforts on the ground and from helicopters. Firefighters have removed parts of the building’s walls to improve access and have deployed helicopters equipped to carry larger volumes of water onto the fire.

Air quality in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley remains poor as smoke disperses over the region. Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday, a move that frees up funds and resources to support containment efforts. Moore said she has requested 12 additional fire engines and six trucks to bolster firefighting capacity. She expressed hope that the fire will be fully extinguished by the end of the week and responsibility handed back to the property owner and occupant.

The ongoing fire has had a significant impact on residents and local businesses. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado emphasized that the community should not bear the responsibility alone for cleanup and mitigation, urging the city to hold Lineage Logistics accountable for ensuring a safe post-fire environment. At nearby Yia Caffe, manager Leo Miguel reported noticeable declines in customer traffic as the smoke’s chemical and plastic odor induced respiratory discomfort and dryness among patrons and staff. “It’s hard to breathe,” Miguel said, adding that many customers prefer to take their orders to go rather than linger in the smoky air.

Residents near the site have reported acute effects from the smoke. Ashley Campos, whose family lives two blocks away, said they evacuated their home due to health concerns, including asthma and cancer within the household. Campos noted difficulties in obtaining air purifiers, which residents consider critical amid the prolonged exposure to harmful air. At a city-operated smoke relief center in Pecan Recreation Center, similar concerns were echoed by others affected by the smoke.

Public health experts warn of the potential risks from the fire. Michael Kleinman, a toxicologist at UC Irvine, noted that the danger from smoke exposure varies with wind conditions and advised that symptoms such as throat irritation or eye watering may signal more serious reactions. He also cautioned that the fire’s combination of burning foam and decomposing frozen food creates a complex mix of chemical and biological pollutants, elevating the challenge of assessing health risks.

Meteorologist Robbie Munroe of the National Weather Service highlighted the role of shifting winds in spreading smoke. Light morning winds from the south or southeast and afternoon sea breezes can carry smoke across a wide area of the Los Angeles Basin, occasionally extending to locations as far as Glendale and West Hollywood. Traces of smoke were detected as far inland as Simi Valley on Sunday morning.

Dodger Stadium, located near downtown Los Angeles, monitored conditions closely but planned to proceed with the scheduled game against the Baltimore Orioles, contingent on the air quality.

Officials continue to work around the clock to contain the blaze amid concerns over its environmental and health impact on the diverse communities of Boyle Heights and the surrounding region.