Spare the Air Alert issued for Sunday and Monday

By Bay City News

Wood burning fires and devices will be prohibited in the Bay Area on Sunday and Monday, after the Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued its first Spare the Air Alert of the winter season on Saturday.

Burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel is forbidden, both indoors and outdoors.

The district covers the nine Bay Area counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and portions of Solano and Sonoma counties.

The Air District said increased burning combined with stagnant winds and cold overnight temperatures would cause smoke to be trapped in the area as a high-pressure system moves over Northern California, creating an atmospheric lid.

Wind speeds are forecast to be under 5 mph and Sunday and Monday night, with temperatures generally dropping into the 40s around the Bay Area overnight on those nights, according to the National Weather Service.

Offshore winds could also move unhealthy air from the Central Valley to the Bay Area, according to the Air District.

Exemptions are available for people whose only source of heat is a wood-burning stove, but it must be registered with the Air Quality Management District. Open fireplaces are not exempt.

It is otherwise illegal to use fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits or any other wood-burning devices during a Spare the Air Alert, according to the Air District.

Wood smoke contains carcinogens that worsen up when winds are light and temperatures are cold, causing smoke to linger in residential areas, according to the Air District.

Creating excessive smoke by burning garbage, mail, plastic, and other materials is also prohibited during the alert.

To sign up for alerts, or to file a complaint, call (877) 4NO-BURN or visit www.baaqmd.gov. Alerts can also be obtained by texting “START” to the number 817-57.