smokeTag Archives

Stage 1 Burn Ban CONTINUES in Thurston County

A Stage One Burn Ban CONTINUES to be in effect in Thurston County today and will reamin so until further notice.

Under a Stage 1 Ban, no burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves, and all outdoor burning is prohibited, even in areas where outdoor burning is not permanently banned. Additionally, no visible smoke is allowed from any wood stove or fireplace, certified or not, beyond a 20-minute start-up period.

A system of stable, high pressure over Western Washington, coupled with cold overnight temperatures has resulted in air pollution levels climbing enough to raise concerns about the air quality and its impacts on health. A change in weather will be needed to restore cleaner air quality, yet that’s not forecast to occur until well into the week.

While pollution levels in Thurston County warrants the Stage One Ban, other counties within the jurisdiction of the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) haven’t reached that level. To avoid bans in their areas, the residents of Mason, Pacific, Grays Harbor, Clallam and Jefferson Counties are asked to voluntarily refrain from all outdoor burning, and to use safe alternatives to wood heat if possible.

Of particular concern are fine particles released by smoke from wood stoves and fireplaces. The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to children, people with heart and lung problems, and adults over age 65.

Olympic Region Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation to determine when the burn ban can be lifted. In the meantime, here are some other things people can do to help protect the air we breathe:

  • If you have a certified wood stove or fireplace insert, make sure you are using it properly so you don’t produce excess chimney smoke. Excess smoke is always illegal. To learn more about clean burning techniques or upgrading to a certified, pellet, natural gas or propane stove, visit http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/
  • To determine if your stove is certified, visit www.orcaa.org.
  • Limit your driving as much as possible, since vehicles are a big source of air pollution year round. Consider utilizing Intercity Transit’s bus service in Thurston County as an alternative — and cleaner — means of transportation. www.intercitytransit.com

For more information about Burn Ban regulations, you may refer to Chapter 173-433 of the Washington Administrative Code.

admin
January 2, 2013
Burn Status, Health, News and Information
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Clean, Dry Firewood Means Clean, Healthful Air

Cold nights and quiet, still mornings like those we frequently encounter during the holiday season tend to prompt more use of woodstoves and fireplaces. Unfortunately, in these conditions any smoke we put into the air around us, stays in the air around us. But with proper care and the use of clean-burning practices, we can keep our shared air clean and safe.

Residents who heat with wood stoves or fireplaces must burn only clean, dry firewood in their home heating appliances. Their wood should be properly cured – less than 20-percent moisture – and free of dirt and debris. The woodstoves must also be properly maintained and operated so the fire draws enough oxygen to ensure complete combustion. That ensures you’ll get the maximum value from your fuel with the absolute minimum smoke. Visit www.burndryfirewood.com for additional tips on clean burning practices.

Upgrade to Clean, Efficient Home Heating Systems

The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) has funds available to help residents of Thurston County replace their old wood stoves and fireplace inserts with new, clean, efficient heat pumps and natural gas heating appliances.

ORCAA, utilizing a grant from the Washington Department of Ecology, offers an array of financial incentives to help residents within Thurston County cities and urban growth areas upgrade their heating systems.  For residents seeking to replace wood heat systems with gas or electric heat systems, ORCAA offers $750 toward purchase for residents who wish to change to gas fireplaces and $1,000 toward purchase for all other change-outs.Find out more here.

admin
December 19, 2012
Burn Status, Health, News and Information
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Stage 1 Burn Ban LIFTED in Thurston & Mason Counties

With today’s change in weather, air quality has improved signficantly allowing Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) to lift the Stage 1 Burn Ban in Thurston and Mason Counties, effective immediately (Friday, Dec. 16, 12-noon).

ORCAA staff thanks the residents of these counties for the support of, and adherence to, the burn ban while it was in effect. By voluntarily reducing the amount of burning done prior to the implementation of the formal burn ban, residents of Thurston and Mason Counties where able to minimize pollution and actually delay the implementation of a formal ban for a full week. At that time, the inversion over the region proved too much and a ban was needed.

Now that the Stage 1 ban has been lifted, ORCAA encourages residents to remember that just because you can burn doesn’t mean you should.

Burning at any time adds to the air pollution levels in your local neighborhood, and residents are encouraged to seek alternatives to burning throughout the year. ORCAA especially encourages residents to resist outdoor burning when possible. When outdoor burning does take place, note that only natural vegetation may be burned. State law prohibits the burning of garbage and home-repair debris at any time. Burn barrels of any kind are also prohibited by state law. Outdoor burning in also prohibited in any Urban Growth Area.

Unregulated outdoor burning of any kind can contribute to poor air quality, but burning garbage and other debris—even scraps of milled wood products—is particularly problematic. Most household garbage contains a great deal of plastics, chemicals, coatings and chemically treated materials. When burned, this garbage and waste material releases toxic fumes and particles into the air. This pollution can cause health problems ranging from eye and respiratory irritation to potential cancers.

The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) encourages all residents to explore options such as chipping of woody debris, and composting of leaves and grass-clippings rather than burning.

Woodstoves and fireplace inserts used for home heating, meanwhile, should be operated as cleanly as possible. That means allowing adequate airflow into the fire chamber to encourage a hot fire for complete combustion. Choking a fire by turning down the damper creates significant smoke that can impact a neighborhood. Fires should be kept small and hot for most efficient use of your fuel ­– you’ll save money and save our shared air.

For more information about burn ban regulations, clean home heating and outdoor burning practices, visit www.orcaa.org

 

admin
December 16, 2011
Burn Status, Health, News and Information
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Stage 1 Burn Ban CONTINUES for Thurston & Mason Counties

The Stage One Burn Ban in Thurston & Mason Counties continues today (Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011).

Despite the showers that fell Thursday morning, air pollution levels remained high enough to require the continuation of the Stage 1 ban in Thurston and Mason Counties. To fully cleanse the air, winds are needed to ventilate and remove the pollutants. Forecasts predict those winds sometime Friday. ORCAA staff continually monitor and evaluate conditions and will update the Burn Ban status as soon as possible.

Under a Stage 1 Ban, no burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves, and all outdoor burning is prohibited, even in areas where outdoor burning is not permanently banned. Additionally, no visible smoke is allowed from any wood stove or fireplace, certified or not, beyond a 20-minute start-up period.

While pollution levels in Thurston and Mason Counties warrant the Stage One Ban, other counties within the jurisdiction of the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) haven’t reached that level. To avoid bans in their areas, the residents of Pacific, Grays Harbor, Clallam, and Jefferson Counties are asked to voluntarily refrain from all outdoor burning, and to use safe alternatives to wood heat if possible.

Of particular concern are fine particles released by smoke from wood stoves and fireplaces. The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors, especially when exercising. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to people with lung and heart problems, people with diabetes, children, and older adults (over age 65).

Olympic Region Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation to determine when the burn ban can be lifted. In the meantime, here are some other things people can do to help protect the air we breathe:

  • If you have a certified wood stove or fireplace insert, make sure you are using it properly so you don’t produce excess chimney smoke. Excess smoke is always illegal. To learn more about clean burning techniques or upgrading to a certified, pellet, natural gas or propane stove, visit http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/
  • To determine if your stove is certified, visit www.orcaa.org.
  • Limit your driving as much as possible, since vehicles are a big source of air pollution year round. Check air-quality forecasts and current conditions at www.orcaa.org.

For more information about Burn Ban regulations, you may refer to Chapter 173-433 of the Washington Administrative Code.

admin
December 15, 2011
Burn Status, Health, News and Information
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Air Quality suffers from stagnant weather: Residents Asked to Reduce Burning

While a bit of sun and lack of rain later this week presents a nice autumn surprise, it also could mean degraded air quality.

From Tuesday into the weekend, temperatures are expected to be chilly, with little wind to clear the air. The cold nights and quiet, foggy mornings tend to prompt more use of woodstoves and fireplaces. Unfortunately, in these conditions any smoke we put into the air around us, stays in the air around us. The result could be rising levels of air pollution.

In the interest of public health and safety, the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) asks that all residents VOLUNTARILY refrain from burning unless absolutely necessary.

Burning wood creates smoke composed of fine and very fine particulate matter (PM2.5). These tiny particles are too small to be filtered by the nose and the body’s other natural defense mechanisms, so they may end up being inhaled deep into the lungs. That means that exposure to wood smoke may, at the very least, cause breathing problems and can increase – sometimes substantially increase – the severity of existing lung disease, such as asthma. Smoke also has been shown to aggravate heart and vascular disease.

In addition to minimizing the use of woodstoves and fireplaces, ORCAA asks homeowners to use alternative means of disposal to clean up their yards. Chipping and composting are the best option, though other alternatives to burning are also available. You can find more details on the options at www.orcaa.org or by calling your local waste disposal company.

If residents do need to burn, ORCAA encourages them to do so only at mid-day during the period of greatest air ventilation. During early morning and late evening hours the inversion is strongest, so at those times, any smoke remains trapped at ground level, creating significant air pollution issues.

To learn about the health effects of air pollution, check out the American Lung Association of Washington’s Web site at www.alaw.org. To find the latest on the status of burn restrictions within ORCAA’s six-county region, visit waburnbans.net or www.orcaa.org.

admin
November 8, 2011
Burn Status, Exec. Director's Desk, Health, News and Information
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