Community Corner
Spare-the-Air Alert Extended
The Bay Area's 1 million-plus fireplaces and wood-burning stoves account for a third of its air pollution, officials say.
With poor air quality predicted for Thursday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is issuing the season’s second winter Spare-the-Air alert, barring residents from burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors for 24 hours.
Weather conditions threaten to trap airborne smoke, which includes particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and toxins linked to cancers, and hold it close to the ground. For now, it remains illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to use fireplaces, woodstoves and inserts, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits, or any other wood-burning devices.
“Breathing wood smoke is hazardous—especially to children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions like asthma," said Jean Roggenkamp, deputy air pollution control officer of the Air District.
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In the winter, wood smoke from the 1.4 million fireplaces and wood stoves in the Bay Area contributes about one-third of the harmful particulate pollution in the air.
Before burning during the period that extends through Feb. 29, the public is asked to check the daily burn status through one of the following methods:
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• On the Air District Web sites: www.baaqmd.gov or www.sparetheair.org;
• Via the toll-free hotline 1-877-4-NO-BURN (complaints can also be filed via the hotline);
• By signing up for AirAlerts at www.sparetheair.org or phone alerts at 1-800-430-1515.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (www.baaqmd.gov) is the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality in the nine-county Bay Area.
