The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has ended the
Winter Spare the Air season, lifting restrictions on when residents
can burn wood.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has ended the Winter Spare the Air season, lifting restrictions on when residents can burn wood.
There will be no more days where burning wood is illegal, according to a district press release. However, there are still restrictions on what can be burned in fireplaces or open pits. Banned items include “garbage, leaves or other material that would cause excessive smoke,” according to the press release. Those in violation of these rules can be fined.
The aim of the Spare the Air days is to keep particulate pollution below harmful levels, according to the district. These days are typically declared when air quality is already poor and burning wood would exacerbate the situation. During winter Spare the Air days, residents who burned wood faced warnings and fines.
The Winter Spare the Air season will start again Nov. 1, according to the press release. Between May and October, there could be summer Spare the Air days, when the district encourages people to take public transit, carpool, and not use paints, aerosols or other polluting products. Public transit is typically free on these days.
For more information on Spare the Air days, visit www.sparetheair.org.
