Spare the Air alert issued for Bay Area; no wood-burning allowed
Atmospheric conditions in the Bay Area prompted air quality regulators to issue a Spare the Air alert for Thursday, which bans burning wood or solid fuel.
The Bay Area Air District said Wednesday that a high-pressure system over the region is keeping air pollution trapped near the ground, and easterly winds could also bring in pollution from the Central Valley. As a result, fine particulate pollution levels are forecast to be elevated on Thursday, the Air District said.
During a Spare the Air alert, it is illegal for residents and businesses to burn wood, manufactured fire logs, wood pellets, or any other solid fuel, either indoors or outdoors. There are exemptions for homes where stoves or fireplaces are the sole heat source, although those homes must use an EPA-certified or pellet-fueled device registered with the district to qualify.
The district noted that an open-hearth fireplace no longer qualifies for an exemption.
First-time violators of the wood-burning ban would be issued a $100 ticket unless they agree to take a wood smoke awareness course. A second violation would mean a $500 ticket, with the ticket amount increasing for subsequent violations.
Wood smoke can cause immediate and long-term health issues, such as respiratory irritation, reduced lung function, asthma attacks, along with increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, cancer, and premature death, according to the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Similar to cigarette or wildfire smoke, wood smoke is composed of fine particulate matter and toxic air contaminants, and is especially harmful to children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health issues. The Air District estimates that 94 to 210 premature deaths per year in the Bay Area are attributable to pollution from residential wood-burning.
Natural gas, propane or electric fireplaces are allowed during Spare the Air Alerts.
In October, the Air District lowered the threshold of fine particulate matter for declaring Spare the Air alerts from 35 to 25 micrograms per cubic meter. The new standard means the alerts will be issued more frequently, from an average of 15 a year to an estimated 19 to 41 alerts per year, the district said.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, the National Park Service has prohibited recreational beach fires at Ocean Beach in Golden Gate National Recreation Area through the end of February.
Residents can learn more about Spare the Air Alerts and air quality by visiting www.sparetheair.org or www.baaqmd.gov.