WA Burn Bans

November 24, 2010

Burn bans are being extended until at least Monday morning (Nov. 29) in Chelan, Douglas and Kittitas counties because air quality has not improved significantly, according to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).

Ecology called Stage 1 burn bans on Wednesday (Nov. 24) for those counties because of air quality conditions. The bans originally were tentatively set to expire at 10 a.m. today (Saturday, Nov. 27), but now they have been extended until at least 10 a.m. Monday. Stage 1 bans apply to unnecessary use of uncertified wood stoves, inserts and fireplaces, and to all outdoor burning.

Smoke from outdoor burning, wood stoves and fireplaces is likely to build up where cold air is trapped near the ground. Fine particles in smoke are so small they can easily get into your lungs. Once there, they can cause heart and breathing problems, and even death. Children, people with asthma and respiratory illnesses, and adults older than 65 are most at risk.

Under a Stage 1 ban:

• Use of fireplaces, uncertified wood stoves and uncertified inserts is prohibited unless they are a home’s only source of heat.

• All outdoor burning – including residential, agricultural and forest burning – is prohibited.

• Use of certified wood-burning devices and pellet stoves is allowed. Ecology recommends burning hot fires using only clean, dry wood.

A 2009 Ecology analysis estimates that fine particles contribute to about 1,100 deaths and millions of dollars in health-care costs each year in Washington. (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0902021.pdf)

For updates, check local media reports and Ecology’s daily burn decision hotline (1-800-406-5322).

The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution should limit the time they spend outdoors. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse.

Ecology recommends that people limit vehicle trips, combine errands or use public transportation to reduce air pollution.

You can track air quality in your area by using the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA). This is Ecology’s tool for informing people about the health effects of air pollution, including fine particles. It’s very similar to the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s national information tool, the Air Quality Index (AQI). Both use color-coded categories to show when air quality is good, moderate or unhealthy. (https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/Default.htm)

The difference is that WAQA shows the health effects of fine particles at lower levels than the AQI does. In other words, WAQA shows that air quality is unhealthy earlier – when fewer fine particles are in the air.

For more information, see this Ecology focus sheet. (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0802022.pdf)