Spare the Air Alert Issued for Today

BAY CITY NEWS – Weather predictions in the Bay Area prompted air quality officials Thursday to issue the third Winter Spare the Air alert of the season.

The alert by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District bans burning wood, manufactured firelogs, or any other solid fuel indoors and outdoors. Air quality is expected to be unhealthy in the region because of cold weather and a lack of wind that will trap pollutants in the air close to the ground, according to the district.

Particulate matter from wood smoke is the main source of winter air pollution, and has been linked to illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and lung disease. The pollutants can be especially dangerous to children, seniors and people with heart or lung conditions. People should check the daily burn status, which can be found online at www.baaqmd.gov or www.sparetheair.org, before burning wood during the Winter Spare the Air season, Nov. 1 to Feb. 28.

People who are found to burning wood during a Spare the Air Day could face hefty fines. First-time offenders receive a warning, but a second violation is subject to a $400 fine, with steeper fines for further violations.

Residents and businesses that burn wood as their only source of heat are exempt from the alerts. The season's two previous Spare the Air Days were on Dec. 1 and Dec. 12.