Winter Spare the Air

The Winter Spare the Air season runs from November 1, 2009, through February 28, 2010. During this period, it will be illegal to burn wood, pellets, or manufactured fire logs when a Winter Spare the Air Alert is issued.

When our morning forecast predicts that concentrations of PM2.5 will exceed the national health-based standard, the Air District will issue a Winter Spare the Air Alert. Winter Spare the Air Alerts will be posted on our Spare the Air home page and on the Air District’s www.baaqmd.gov home page.

In the wintertime, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) becomes the pollutant with the greatest impact on air quality. Fine particulates can bypass the body’s natural defenses, penetrating deeply into the lungs and even passing into the bloodstream. Prolonged exposure to the fine particulates in wood smoke has been linked with aggravated asthma, lung and heart disease, and increased mortality rates. Wood burning in fireplaces and woodstoves creates about one-third of the winter particulate matter air pollution in the Bay Area.

Winter Spare the Air Alerts

Winter Spare the Air Alerts will be announced in the local media and posted on the Spare the Air and www.baaqmd.gov websites.  They will also be recorded at 1-877-4NO-BURN  (1-877-466-2876), and at 1-800-HELP-AIR (1-800-435-7247).

Sign Up

You can also receive notification of Winter Spare the Air Alerts by signing up for e-mail AirAlerts and automatic Phone Alerts and “checking before you burn.”

Wood Smoke Complaints

Residents and businesses can report wood smoke concerns in their area by completing the online wood burning complaint form or calling the wood burning complaint line: 1-877-4NO-BURN (1-877-466-2876).

Spare the Air Program

The Spare the Air Program was established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to educate people about air pollution and to encourage them to change their behavior to improve air quality.

On this site you will find daily air quality forecasts for the Bay Area, information about air pollution and its health effects, opportunities for community members and employees join up to prevent pollution, clean air tips, and a variety of other educational resources.