Burn Ban continues until further notice
Feb. 25, 2005 — A Stage One Burn Ban called last Monday afternoon will continue over the weekend for King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. No burning is allowed in uncertified wood stoves or fireplaces, and all outdoor burning is prohibited, even in areas where outdoor burning is not permanently banned.
The marine push that spread low clouds across Puget Sound Friday morning has had minimal effect on air quality levels. High pressure is rebuilding over the Northwest; we predict that this pattern will only provide for marginal dispersion of pollutants through Monday morning. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation to determine when the burn ban can be lifted. In the meantime, here are some other things people can do to help protect the air we breathe:
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Use manufactured logs if you must burn. They are made from recycled wood products and burn cleaner than cut wood.
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If you have a certified wood stove or fireplace insert, make sure you are using it properly so you don’t produce excess chimney smoke. Excess smoke is always illegal. To learn more about clean burning techniques or upgrading to a certified, natural gas or propane stove, visit www.burningclean.com.
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To determine if your stove is certified, visit www.pscleanair.org, click on Info on Burning, then select Indoor Burning.
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Limit your driving as much as possible, since vehicles are a big source of air pollution year round.
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Check air-quality forecastsand current conditions at www.pscleanair.org. You can see how the Puget Sound region’s current and forecasted air-quality rate on the Air Quality Index, a color-coded system for rating the levels of pollution. Our goal is to “keep it in the green.”
To learn about the health effects of air pollution, check out the American Lung Association of Washington’s Web site..
