A steady stream of black smoke billowing from the Chevron refinery in El Segundo sparked numerous calls to the fire department Tuesday morning.
The smoke was visible for miles around the refinery located in the 300 block of West El Segundo Boulevard, but officials said the flaring was part of routine operations and there was nothing to worry about.
“There is no threat to the community. The safety flare operation is an important safety release device,” Chevron El Segundo spokesperson Jeff Wilson said.
Wilson added that Chevron notified the surrounding communities that there would be intermittent flaring at the refinery on Tuesday.
There was no word on how long the flaring event would last.