First Spare the Air Alerts for winter issued for San Francisco Bay Area starting Sunday
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District on Saturday issued the winter season's first Spare the Air Alerts for Sunday and Monday.
The forecast light winds and chilly overnight temperatures are expected to contribute to unhealthy air quality as high pressure over the region acts like a lid, trapping smoke at ground level, according to BAAQMD officials. The alert noted there is also a chance that offshore winds will transport air pollution from the Central Valley into the Bay Area.
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The alert bans the burning of wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors.
It is illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to use their fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits or any other wood-burning devices during a Spare the Air Alert, though there are exemptions available for homes without permanently installed heating, where wood stoves or fireplaces are the only source of heat.
Anyone whose sole source of heat is a wood-burning device is required to use an EPA-certified or pellet-fueled device that is registered with the Air District to qualify for an exemption. An open-hearth fireplace no longer qualifies for an exemption.
People can find out when a Spare the Air alert is in effect by visiting sparetheair.org, calling (800) HELP-AIR, downloading the Spare the Air app on their smartphone or find Spare the Air on social media.
