UPDATE: Stage 2 Burn Ban Continues in Yakima County

By on January 21, 2011 at 16:02 in Burn Bans, Yakama County, YRCAA

January 21, 2011

DATE:           Friday, January 21, 2011

TIME:            2:30 PM

TO:                 Media and Reporting Fire Districts

FROM:           Dave Caprile, PIO, YRCAA

SUBJECT:    UPDATE – STAGE 2 BURN BAN CONTINUED

The Stage 2 Burn Ban declared yesterday for all of Yakima County (excluding Yakama Nation Reservation land) is continued until air quality improvement is verified by YRCAA staff, probably throughout the weekend.  This continuation includes BOTH the Upper and the Lower Yakima County areas.

Also note: NO AGRICULTURAL BURNING will be allocated or allowed.

A CONTINUED AIR INVERSION,           without significant ground-level ventilation means that any air pollution created will continue to remain, collecting into a more dense mass and further deteriorating the quality of the air.  The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to poor air quality limit their time and activities 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.

Please Note: The jurisdiction of YRCAA covers all of Yakima County, excluding Yakama Nation Reservation lands.  YRCAA recognizes Yakama National Sovereignty, which is addressing air quality issues in conjunction with the EPA, under the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR). For more information regarding that area, call (509) 952-3057. 

YRCAA staff will continue to monitor the air quality to determine when any changes to the current burn ban should be made.  Air Quality conditions can change rapidly.

Please check our website for the most up-to-date information at: http://www.yakimacleanair.org  or call the YRCAA office at (509) 834-2050.

NEW:  All interested persons can now sign up on our website to be automatically notified by email of all Burn Ban updates, such as this one.  Go to http://www.yakimacleanair.org

During a Stage 2 Burn Ban:
  1. All Outdoor Burning, including Agricultural burning, is prohibited;
  2. The use of any solid-fuel burning fireplace, stove or fireplace insert (including certified devices) is prohibited unless it is the only adequate means of heating a home;

Note: The most commonly used “solid fuels” are wood, manufactured logs, pellets and coal.

  1. No excessive smoke is allowed from any wood burning device beyond a 20-minute start-up; and
  2. All violations of the burn ban are subject to civil penalty.

 
We make every effort to ensure that all burn ban announcements and restrictions are posted. Always call or visit your county and local clean air agency and check the DNR fire danger for the most current information.

Find out more information about RCW 70.94.473, WAC 173-425 and important key terms.

Leave a Reply

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.