The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is issuing the winter season’s first Spare the Air Alert for Friday, calling for people to abstain from burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel in fireplaces or outdoors.
Though a raging fire in the fireplace can make for a cozy holiday weekend, the smoke from them can cause unhealthy air quality, BAAQMD said. High pressure over Northern California will act like a lid, trapping smoke at ground level. Offshore winds may also transport air pollution from the Central Valley into the Bay Area.
But burning fuels on a Spare the Air day is not just discouraged, it’s also illegal, though people who rely on wood stoves or fireplaces as their only source of heat are permitted use them. However, such households must use US Environmental Protection Agency-certified or pellet-fueled devices that are registered with the Air District. Open-hearth fireplaces no longer qualify for exemptions, BAAQMD said.
“Residents can help protect the respiratory health of their families and communities by refraining from wood burning– the number one source of wintertime air pollution in the Bay Area,” said Sharon Landers, interim executive officer of BAAQMD.
In San Francisco, the National Park Service has also prohibited recreational beach fires at Ocean Beach and in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area through the end of February.
Those found violating Spare the Air orders will be asked to take a wood smoke awareness course; those who do not partake in that education will be given a $100 ticket. People with second violations are subject to a $500 ticket, with the ticket amount increasing for any subsequent violations.
8 comments
Burned last night till almost 0100 this morning. Guess I am already in violation, might as well continue the burn today.
I wish the useless BAAQMD would discuss how the air quality is impacted by the different types of wood. A clean burning black/white oak or an almond leave very little smoke and particulate in the air vs the pine woods. Or as compared to the ‘wood’ you buy from Safeway/Walmart.
I don’t have a fireplace but I can tell neighbors are using theirs. I also can’t blame them and BAAQMD needs to acknowledge the real culprit which has been the mismanagement of our utility provider. What do they want the public to do? Freeze to death? What happened to that “global warming” the woke blather on mindlessly about?
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Disregarding with middle fingers extended.
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Maybe just wear a mask? I figure many have a surplus of leftover masks purchased by the pallet from their local costco. If you had run out of that, perhaps the stockpile of TP that you hoarded earlier would work as well.
So sad that the general public puts up with this crap. Our freedoms will be completely gone in another generation
Wood smoke created 30% of particulates when the Air Police started their program. Now it’s the number one culprit. Methinks they fudge and manipulate the data to get the numbers they want to curry favor with their federal masters. They can only change my mind when the curtail ALL particulate sources on STA days.
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Iv’e been burning discarded covid masks. Now I receive twice the benefit!
I’d try it with plastic straws but they would make such a mess in the fireplace………
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