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The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a winter “Spare the Air” alert for today, banning wood burning both indoors and out.
“Particulate pollution is rising in the Bay Area, and we are forecasting unhealthy air quality today, which makes it illegal to burn wood,” said air district executive officer Jack Broadbent.
Wood smoke is a major source of air pollution during winter, contributing about one-third of the harmful fine particulate pollution in Bay Area air, Broadbent said.
With the winter “Spare the Air” alert in effect, anyone who burns wood will receive a written warning for a first violation and fines for a second violation. The fines range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
More information on winter Spare the Air days can be found at the district’s Web site at: http://www.sparetheair.org .
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The smell of burned wood in the air during winter is really noxious. I know it causes immediate health problems for some people and probably long term problems for others. I wish people would not do that, “spare the air day” or not.
I know that many people enjoy the look and feel of a log fire in their homes, but there is a big downside when walking outside on a still winter evening and all you can smell is smoke. It is often so bad that not only can you not breath easily, but your clothes and hair smell of smoke also. The smell on your jacket doesn’t go away, it just makes the whole of your closet smell too and the only solution is to wash the jacket before it can be worn again.
Please do not burn wood on spare the air nights.
Ditto. Definitely have to shower before bed, otherwise smell the smoke in the hair at bedtime.
I understand people’s health concerns, but I personally love the smell of wood-burning fireplaces on a winter’s night. I guess smells, like beauty, are in the eye or in this case, the nose of the beholder.
It is kind of like cigarette smoking. Some people love to do it, even if it hurts themselves and the people around them.
What a pity that the Green Meanies have driven the cost of energy so high as to make wood burning an economical choice. 20 nuclear power plants and we could all be using heat pumps for home heating and water heating, saving the natural gas Palin has heading in our direction for auto fuel and chemical feedstock. Passionate ignorance is civilization’s biggest enemy.
What an absolute farce it is one of the clearest days in Palo Alto so far this year.
Santa Clara Valley particulate pollution level is 110 today. The healthy level is below 50.
The air is not clear today. The lack of clouds may make the sun and sky appear brighter, but when I look out toward the horizon, there is a very visible layer of brown smog above the ground in all directions. There is even smog to the north, where the bay winds usually blow it away. The dirty air that is closest to the ground is, of course, the air that we have to breath.
I know the pro-pollution people will say you can get healthy air by adding air seals and filters all over your house, then stay indoors as much as possible. What is the point of living in California if you have to shut yourself in like that. And why force everyone to go through all that expense instead of just polluting less?