Autumn brings the potential for Air Quality Issues

Image of juvenile bad eagle in tree with a plumb of wood smoke in background.

Entering the fall season means more cooler days and colder nights. That in turn results in more use of wood stoves for home heating. But autumn also marks the start of weather patterns that could trap air pollution close to ground level, and when those two events come together, air quality agencies must take action.

Why burn bans are necessary

 Local air quality agencies such as ORCAA issue burn ban advisories to the public. These calls to restrict burning usually last a few days but can last up to one week or more. Air quality burn bans usually occur in the fall and winter months — in ORCAA’s region, the most common time for air quality burn bans has been roughly mid—November through January.

Weather patterns and terrain can create air quality challenges. When weather conditions result in an atmospheric inversion, it creates a situation in which smoke from wood fires gets trapped low to the ground. This is a significant issue when the quality of the air reaches unhealthy levels based on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Burn bans have a purpose

The bans issued by air quality agencies are important because smoke from burning contains fine particles and a toxic mix of other carcinogens. Anyone – particularly the young, the elderly, and those with asthma or other health conditions – can have difficulty breathing when smoke fills the air.

Anyone burning firewood, or who burns yard waste or forest debris outdoors is required to follow burn ban rules. The bans apply to households that have older and newer wood stoves, as well as wood burning fireplaces.

Don’t only consider inversion days

Relying on weather is not a wise choice, since there can still be burn bans on drizzly days. Air quality can worsen quickly when there aren’t winds to clean away daily pollution.

Cleaner home heating

ORCAA offers financial rewards for residents who remove old, uncertified wood stoves and replace them with cleaner home heating devices – even newer, certified wood stoves. Wood Smoke Reduction Program – ORCAA

Cleaner burning practices

When you do burn, please consider the practices outlined at Burn Dry Firewood

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Media Contact

Dan Nelson

Communications/Outreach Manager

360-539-7610