Living Here
The Aliso Canyon history, and where to check air quality now
July 2026 · Last reviewed July 2026
By Porter Ranch Pros — an independent resource for Porter Ranch homeowners.
In late 2015, a well at SoCalGas's Aliso Canyon natural-gas storage facility above Porter Ranch developed a major methane leak that lasted into February 2016 and displaced many residents. It remains a live subject locally. If you want current air-quality information for the area, use the official monitoring sources below rather than secondhand accounts.
This is a subject a lot of newer residents ask about and a lot of longtime residents have strong feelings about. Our aim here is narrow and factual: what happened, and where to get official information today.
What happened
Aliso Canyon is a large underground natural-gas storage facility operated by SoCalGas in the hills above Porter Ranch. In October 2015 one of its wells began leaking methane. The leak continued until it was controlled in February 2016, and during that period many families relocated temporarily. It became one of the most significant events in the area's recent history, and it has driven years of regulatory attention and litigation since.
An occasional email for Porter Ranch homeowners — seasonal reminders and new guides. Nothing else.
Where to check air quality today
If you want to know what the air is doing on a given day — for wildfire smoke, ozone, or general conditions — use the official monitors rather than rumor:
- AirNow gives the current Air Quality Index by ZIP code for the whole country.
- South Coast AQMD is the regional air-quality regulator and publishes local monitoring and advisories.
- LA County Public Health is the authority for health guidance in the area.
The status of the Aliso Canyon facility itself — and decisions about its future — is handled by the California Public Utilities Commission, whose proceedings are public. If this is something you care about as a resident, that is where the real, current record lives.