Yolo-Solano 'Don't Light Tonight' Season Begins In Dixon, Nearby

DIXON, CA — 'Tis the season for the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District's "Don't Light Tonight" advisories. From November through February, when a "Don't Light Tonight" advisory is issued by the air management district, residents in the Yolo-Solano area — all of Yolo County and portions of Solano County that encompass Dixon, Rio Vista and Vacaville — are asked to voluntarily refrain from burning wood in their fireplaces or wood stoves unless that is their sole source of heat.

"To protect our clean air, the district will issue voluntary 'Don’t Light Tonight' advisories when air pollution concentrations are forecast to be high," YSAQMD officials said in a news release. "Smoke is often a localized issue. This means that when wood is burned, smoke stays relatively close by because of low wind, dispersion or circulation in the winter and is particularly dangerous to young children, the elderly and pregnant women. Wood smoke contributes to asthma attacks and other health problems."

Advisories are 24 hours; from midnight to midnight on the day they are in place.

In recent years, an advisory has been in effect on roughly 25 percent of the days between November and February, YSAQMD officials said.

Residents can subscribe to EnviroFlash to receive a notification when an advisory is in effect.

Patch will also do its best to let the region know when a "Don't Light Tonight" has been sent.

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