The smoke relief center at City Terrace Park in East Los Angeles will close at noon on Saturday as use of it has significantly declined, LA County officials said.
Meanwhile, LA Mayor Karen Bass announced that the smoke relief shelter at Pecan Recreation Center in Boyle Heights will remain open 24 hours a day and according to a city staffer “as long as necessary.” Residents staying at the City Terrace Park can relocate to Pecan once it closes.
Rebeca Mojica, an East LA resident, has been staying at the City Terrace Park shelter with her pet rabbit since Saturday night and planned to stay at the Pecan center. Since the fire, Mojica has experienced severe throat dryness, nausea and headaches.
“That’s why I decided to come here—to protect myself and my bunny,” Mojica said.
Mojica was relieved to hear that the Pecan shelter would remain open. “I was here worried,” she said. On Friday, she stopped by her East LA home to get clothes and feed her fish. The neighborhood still smelled horrible, she said, and she saw a rat around her neighborhood.
“It smells like gas and like a dead dog,” Mojica said. “I came back with a headache. We don’t want to return home with all of that.”
Supervisor Hilda Solis, in a statement sent to Boyle Heights Beat, said her office will “continue supporting impacted residents in both East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights through ongoing distribution events, where residents can access air purifiers, PPE, food boxes, and health screenings.”
Air purifier distributions have been held at Belvedere Park throughout the week. Solis noted on Instagram that residents from adjacent communities, not just from East LA, were welcome to stop by.
Solis noted that the county’s Department of Health Services mobile unit was deployed multiple times this week at City Terrace Park, alongside Via Care and other partners, and “will continue to support distribution efforts and deployments as needed.”
Councilmember Ysable Jurado said Council District 14 staff, community organizations, and volunteers have spent days knocking on doors, delivering masks and air purifiers, answering questions, and sharing information in both English and Spanish.
Smoke relief center
Pecan Park Recreation Center
145 S. Pecan St. Los Angeles, CA 90033
*Small pets welcome
Additional resiliency hubs
If your family has been affected by the fire, the Weingart East LA YMCA is providing shelter during regular business hours.
2900 Whittier Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90023
Phone: (323) 360-0381
Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory
The BHAC is open as a community resilience hub. Youth, families, elders and neighbors can stop by for a cool filtered indoor space, free Wi-Fi, KN95 masks, device charging and community resources.
2708 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90033
Hours: Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Call (213) 293-6170 for more information.
Free transportation to shelter sites
Uber is providing support for residents impacted by the fire, and more information is available at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/.
Eligible residents can receive:
Up to two free rides
Up to $40 per trip
Travel must be to or from temporary shelter locations
To redeem:
Open the Uber app
Go to Wallet
Add promo code: ELASAFE26
Request your ride
Eligibility:
Must live within 2.5 miles of the fire
Promo code valid through June 27
