Spare the Air
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Spare the Air

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Spare the Air Tonight

From November to February, particulate matter — especially particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller in size (PM2.5) — can become a problem in the Bay Area. We issue Spare the Air Tonight advisories on nights when PM2.5 concentrations are expected to be unhealthy. On these nights, we ask residents not to drive and not to use their fireplaces and wood stoves. Wood burning produces about one-third of the particulate pollution on a typical winter night.

Woodsmoke in My Neighborhood
The nine counties that surround San Francisco Bay are home to almost seven million residents and an estimated 1.7 million fireplaces and woodstoves. Woodsmoke air pollution from these woodburning appliances has been a health concern in the Bay Area for many years, especially on winter evenings.