To protect public health from worsening air pollution, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency on Sunday issued a Stage 1 burn ban for King and Snohomish counties. A Stage 2 burn ban remains in effect for Pierce County.
On Saturday night, fine particle pollution levels spiked in many areas throughout the Puget Sound region, especially in neighborhoods where wood-burning is common, the agency said.
During a Stage 1 burn ban:
– No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
– Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.
– It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is an air quality management agency serving King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. You can learn more here.
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