The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is issuing the
season’s fifth Winter Spare the Air Alert for Thursday, January
17, which bans burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other
solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors for 24 hours. The alert
has been called due to the ongoing high pressure system and cool
temperatures that trap smoke pollution close to the ground.
"Wood smoke is the other second hand smoke around our homes,"
said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Air District. "It
is important to reduce this smoke around our homes and
neighborhoods when weather conditions trap smoke near the
ground." It is illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to
use their fireplaces, woodstoves and inserts, pellet stoves,
outdoor fire pits, or any other wood-burning devices during a
Winter Spare the Air Alert. Many residents had mixed responses
to whether or not they would report their neighbors for burning
wood on a Spare the Air day. Homes without permanently installed
heating, where woodstoves or f