Are you a Snoqualmie Valley resident with a wood-burning fireplace or pellet stove? Well, then you are being asked not to use them until the air quality improves in King County.
According to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency website, today they issued a Stage 2 Burn Ban in King County to protect residents from worsening air quality. The ban is effective as of noon, Sunday, January 13, 2013 and remains in effect until further notice.
Because of atmospheric high pressure settled over the Puget Sound region, air quality reached “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” overnight, especially in areas where wood burning is common. The cold, dry stagnant weather conditions are expected to stretch well into the week.
During a Stage 2 Burn Ban:
- No burning is allowed in ANY wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves or fireplace inserts (certified or uncertified) or pellet stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
- No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
- Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.
It is okay to use natural gas or propane fireplace inserts and stoves during burn bans.
The Washington State Department of Health recommends people sensitive to air pollution limit outdoor activity, especially exercise, during burn bans. That includes individuals with heart and lung disease. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks and cause difficulty breathing.
The Clean Air Agency will continue to closely monitor the air quality and weather situation in King County.
