Wood-Burning Ban Issued Across Southwest Riverside County

UPDATE: The "No Burn Day Alert" that began at 12:01 a.m. Friday has been extended through 11:59 p.m. Saturday.

SOUTHWEST RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Poor air quality that's predicted on Friday, Feb. 7, has prompted officials to issue a "No Burn Day Alert" across Southwest Riverside County.

The alert means that between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m., wood burning is prohibited across the region.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued the alert and said that burning wood in fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device is prohibited during Friday's mandatory wood-burning ban. The no-burn rule also prohibits burning manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper, according to the agency.

The ban is designed to protect public health when levels of fine particulate air pollution in the region are forecast to be high.

"Smoke from wood burning can cause health problems. Particles in wood smoke — also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks), increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations," according to the South Coast AQMD.

South Coast AQMD’s no-burn day alerts do not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, the Coachella Valley or the High Desert. Homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households and those without natural gas service also are exempt from the requirement.

Gas and other non-wood burning fireplaces are not restricted.