Understanding Extreme Heat in South Los Angeles
A closer look at extreme heat and its impacts in South Los Angeles.
Land Acknowledgement: As we look over this StoryMap, we would like to respectfully acknowledge that the space we are sharing today resides on the unceded traditional homelands of the Chumash, Gabrielino/Tongva, Serrano and Tataviam people, and we would like to pay our respect to elders and relatives both past and present.
South L.A. Community Profile
This StoryMap looks at South L.A.'s risk of being affected by extreme heat events and the neighborhood in general. For residents of South L.A., or those interested in learning more about it, this StoryMap will be very useful.
South Los Angeles is located south of downtown Los Angeles. It includes a variety of neighborhoods like Adams-Normandie, West Adams, Vermont-Knolls, and University Park ( 1 ).
South L.A. has a rich history as a civil rights and African American cultural hub. Today, minorities make up a majority of South L.A. with 65% of people identifying as Latinx and 29% as African American ( 2 ).
South L.A. is located near the 105, 110, and 10 freeways and much of the area is in the direct flight path of airplanes going to LAX. Residents are exposed to many moving (cars and trucks) and still (stationary) pollution sources that make air quality worse.
Since South L.A. is next to major freeways and has many polluting sites, air quality is a major problem. There are more than 3000 active facilities (places) in the area that release toxins into the air ( 3 ). Especially dirty sites include oil wells, auto body shops, and manufacturing plants ( 4 ). Many South L.A. residents live close to these polluting facilities and their health is hurt by the bad air quality.
People in South L.A. have the highest stroke rate in L.A. County and have life expectancies that are 5 years less than other Angelenos, partly due to pollution levels ( 3 ). Many residents also suffer from asthma, which is heightened when there is lots of air pollution.
South L.A. is an AB-617 community which means that it has been identified by the state as a high pollution area. The state has been working with community members and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to collect information about pollution. This data will be used to think about ways to improve air quality in South L.A.
Extreme Heat and Air Pollution in South L.A.
Calendar plot showing the daily maximum temperature in South L.A. during Summer 2024.
The calendar plot to the left shows the maximum temperature for each day in South L.A. during Summer 2024. While there were many days above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, only about 5 days appear to be above 95 degrees. However, this number will increase in the future. By 2099, there will be at least 27 days a year where it is hotter than 95 degrees Fahrenheit - that is almost one entire month of extreme heat ( 5 )!
The bar chart below also demonstrates that it has already gotten warmer in South L.A. since 1990. The red bars on this chart show the number of days annually that are hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit from 1990 to 2020. The yellow line shows the average number of extreme heat days within a 5 year period. Since it is moving upward, it shows that temperatures are rising over time.
Days in South L.A. where the temperature is higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit between 1990 to 2020.
Calendar plot showing the level of PM 2.5 in South L.A. during summer 2024. Darker colors mean that PM 2.5 levels were higher (i.e. air quality was worse).
Pollution is an extreme problem in South L.A. because of the major freeways and polluting facilities that are in and around it. Unfortunately, pollution will only get worse as it gets hotter. For instance, high temperatures can lead to more ozone being produced, which is a pollutant that can be created from cars ( 6 ). More ozone in the air will make breathing-related issues worse and residents uncomfortable. Since South L.A. is situated between busy highways, this is something very important to keep in mind.
The calendar plot on the right shows the different levels of PM (particulate matter) 2.5 throughout South L.A. during the summer of 2024. PM 2.5 is a pollutant that can have negative health impacts, especially related to respiratory (breathing-related) conditions and heart disease. As it gets hotter, the negative health effects of PM 2.5 are expected to get worse.
South L.A. residents will experience more discomfort as the number of hot days increases, especially when considering that less than half of residents have air conditioning (AC) in their homes and now, residents have to deal with even worse air quality ( 5 ). Not having AC can make people more prone to heat-related illness or even death. South L.A. will also feel hotter than other areas due to the lack of green space (plants, parks, etc.) that could provide shade, cool the environment down, and improve air quality ( 7 ).
Community Characteristics
We were interested in three traits: age, income, and public transit dependency (how many people rely on public transit to get to work). We looked at these characteristics in South L.A. as these can help us understand how at risk (vulnerable) residents are of being hurt by extreme heat.
Maps that show these characteristics for South L.A. are below. Note that results in the maps are presented as census tracts (outlined in gray). Census tracts are divisions created by the United States Census for data collection ( 8 ).
Age
The following map compares the percentage of people under the age of 5 (left) to the percentage of South L.A. residents who are 65 years old or older (right). Darker pink and purple colors mean that there are a greater percent of older (or younger) people in a census tract.
In L.A. County, 5.55% of the population is under the age of 5. In South L.A., most of the census tracts are very light pink, which means that between 5 and 10 percent of people are children. This suggests that there are more kids living in South L.A. than in the County generally. Children are more at risk of being hurt by extreme heat than adults as they tend to spend a lot of time outside and don't quite know how to hydrate and take care of themselves well.
The percent of older adults (65 years or older) for each tract is shown on the right side of the map. Most areas are medium light shades of pink meaning that older adults make up between 5 and 15% of the total population in these areas. Like kids, older folks can be more at risk of heat-related illness. In fact, older people are 2.5 times more likely than adults to die during an extremely hot day ( 9 ).
Map showing the percentage of people younger than 5 (left) and those over 65 (right) in South Los Angeles.
Income
Here, we looked at yearly household income in each census tract in South L.A. In our map, darker colors mean that income is higher. As a reminder, heat is an environmental justice issue which means that frontline communities are more likely to be hurt by extreme heat than those in wealthy areas.
Income is different across South L.A., but most tracts are light green, which means that income is between $35,000 and $50,000 a year. This is much lower than the Los Angeles County median annual income level of $82,026. Only one census tract has a median income level higher than the L.A. County average. This suggests that South L.A. residents make less money than the average Angeleno.
Lower income (light green) areas appear to be mainly next to the 110 freeway, on the eastern (right) side of the map. Low income community members are more likely to be hurt by extreme heat especially if people do not have access to AC.
Public Transit Dependency
Lastly, we looked at how many South L.A. residents rely on public transportation (rail, bus, etc.) when commuting (getting to work). On this map (left), orange and red mean that a higher percentage of people rely on public transit. On the right side of the map, we show tree canopy cover, which tells us how much of an area is shaded by trees ( 10 ). Darker shades of green have more tree cover in an area.
Most of the areas on the public transit dependency map are light orange, dark orange, and red. This suggests that for a majority of South L.A., between 10 to 25% of people utilize public transit to get to work. This is much higher than the L.A. County average of 5.57%.
There does not seem to be much shade provided by trees in South L.A. We see many tracts that are light yellow or the lightest shade of green, which means that less than 15% of an area is shaded. Areas by the 110 freeway (right) and at the southern (lower) part of South L.A. seem to have the least trees.
We would like, right, for there to be bigger trees that provide more shade. There are almost no trees with shade around.
People that take public transit to work are more exposed to extreme heat, especially when walking and waiting for buses or trains ( 11 ). It is clear that many areas lack shade from trees, leaving public transit riders without relief from the sun during hot days. Also, a lack of greenery can make the "urban heat island effect," where cities are hotter than surrounding suburbs, worse.
In South L.A., since many residents rely on public transportation to get to work, it is important to consider how people will be affected by the heat at bus stops or train stations, especially when tree canopy coverage is low.
I wish they [bus stops] had shade. Then I could sit there, at least. But no, there’s nothing. No shade. And then some of them don’t even have benches…Yeah, we need to ask the city for more funding to install benches and shade at all the bus stops.
Resources
Interactive Map
The interactive map below shows places where South L.A. residents can go on hot days. Some "cool spots" include libraries, parks, and recreation centers. We recommend that users input their address to see places closest to them.
Please check each facility's hours before going to them during hot days!
Interactive map for residents in LA County to see cooling spots near them. Type in your address to begin!
Organizations
If you are interested in getting more involved with environmental justice efforts (related to extreme heat or otherwise), check out the following organizations.
Updates due to L.A. Wildfires
Unfortunately, air quality in South L.A. has also gotten worse due to the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires that were extremely destructive and released ash and other toxins into the air. Here, it’s really important to remember that while the fires may have been contained, pollution may remain in the air for months, or even years ( 12 ). Unfortunately, these pollutants aren’t always included in air quality reports, so even though pollution levels may appear “low” you could still be inhaling PM from the fires. While the 2025 wildfires sparked major concerns about air quality across the region, these health risks and poor air quality have always been a reality and concern for environmental justice communities like South L.A. and others who are on the frontline.
Tips from the South Coast AQMD about how to protect yourself during a wildfire. Click on the image for more resources.
We encourage residents to check out the image to the right and to actively protect themselves from inhaling wildfire smoke. Children, pregnant people, and older adults are especially at risk of facing negative health impacts during these times. We urge you to remain informed and to be cautious.
As Los Angeles rebuilds, we urge the city and county governments to acknowledge that this is stolen land and to see the tragic climate disaster as an opportunity to reconnect indigenous peoples to their ancestral land. The Palisades fire is on Chumash, Gabrielino/Tongva land, while the Eaton fire is on Serrano, Tataviam, Gabrielino/Tongva land. There is no one better to manage the land than its original care takers.
Sources
- Los Angeles City Planning. South Los Angeles Community Plan [Internet]. [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://planning.lacity.gov/plans-policies/community-plan-area/south-los-angeles
- CA Air Resources Board. South Los Angeles [Internet]. [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/community-air-protection-program/communityhub-2-0/south-los-angeles#:~:text=as%20disadvantaged%20communities.-,Sources%20impacting%20the%20community%20include%20auto%20body%20shops%2C%20dry%20cleaners,of%20approximately%2023%20square%2Dmiles
- PSR-LA. Our Prescription: Cleaning Up the Air in South Los Angeles [Internet]. 2024 Jul 2 [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://www.psr-la.org/stay-informed/blog/scla-push-ab-617
- USC Environmental Health Centers. Air Pollution in South Los Angeles [Internet]. 2024 Apr [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://envhealthcenters.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ENES-Air-pollution-in-South-Los-Angeles-V2.pdf
- Polakovic, G. Urban heat waves imperil L.A.’s most vulnerable communities [Internet]. USC Today; 2020 May 19 [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://today.usc.edu/urban-heat-waves-los-angeles-vulnerable-communities-usc-research
- Borunda, A. Extreme heat makes air quality worse–that’s bad for health [Internet]. NPR; 2023 Sep 6 [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://www.npr.org/2023/09/06/1198007014/extreme-heat-makes-air-quality-worse-thats-bad-for-health
- United States Census Bureau. Census Tracts [Internet]. [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/education/CensusTracts.pdf
- Sencan, G. Extreme heat takes a toll on Californians’ health [Internet]. Public Policy Institute of California; 2024 May 20 [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://www.preventionweb.net/news/extreme-heat-takes-toll-californians-health
- LMU Center for Urban Resilience. 2020, June [cited 2024 Oct]. Available from: https://uscssi.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=f5ab42ce957546c0b8730fedd44bce93
- UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. Adapting to Extreme Heat in California: Assessing Gaps in State-Level Policies and Funding Opportunities [Internet]. 2021, Oct [cited 2024 Sep]. Available from: https://innovation.luskin.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Adapting-to-Extreme-Heat-in-California.pdf
- Perez, N. Low-Income Communities Have Less Park Space Than More Affluent Neighborhoods. That's Starting to Change [Internet]. LAist; 2023 Feb 21 [cited 2024 Oct]. Available from: https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/low-income-communities-have-less-park-space-than-more-affluent-neighborhoods-thats-starting-to-change
- Schrank, A. Concerned about LA air quality? Here are 7 expert tips [Internet]. LAist; 2025 Jan 21 [cited 2025 Jan]. Available from: https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/la-air-quality-health-tips
