Business was brisk at Teddy's Cocina in Pasadena as wildfire evacuees ate lunch and passersby ducked indoors to escape from the brown, smoky air blanketing the city.

If the air quality in your area is compromised, there are several things you can do to protect yourself. Special attention should be paid to those who have compromised respiratory, lung or heart health, as well as children and older adults who are generally more vulnerable.

An air quality alert was issued on Friday at 4:47 p.m. in effect until Saturday at 5 p.m. The alert is for San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, Riverside County Mountains, San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning,

AirNow is a collaborative effort of federal agencies that provides air quality data across the U.S. The site also has up-to-date information about the wildfires, resources, data, and interactive maps to help users learn more about particular areas and how they might be affected. There's also a free AirNow mobile app.

Air quality across parts of California is deteriorating to hazardous levels as strong winds drive rapid wildfire spread and stir up heavy dust.