Check Before You Burn: What Californians need to know as pollution control season begins
The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District is urging residents to Check Before You Burn as pollution control districts across the state kick off the annual declaration season Sunday.
That means homes, farms and other businesses need to check the air quality before burning in an indoor or outdoor fireplace, wood stove, firepit or chimney if using wood, pellet, manufactured logs or other solid fuel. The season runs through Februrary in the Sacramento region and elsewhere.
While the public outreach program is an advisory in some other parts of the state, it’s the law for residents of Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova and unincorporated parts of Sacramento County. If fine particulate matter pollution is forecast to be high, wood burning will be restricted or prohibited.
The Check Before You Burn season categorizes different days with levels of permission for burning. When it is declared legal to burn, there are no restrictions to burning. When burning is discouraged, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District asks residents to voluntarily choose not to burn, though it is not illegal.
During Stage 1 restrictions, it is illegal to burn unless you use an EPA certified fireplace insert or stove, or pellet stove, that do not emit visible smoke. During Stage 2 restrictions, the strictest rules apply, with all burning of solid fuel prohibited.
Last year, the region experienced two days of Stage 1 restrictions and 33 days when burning was discouraged, while the rest of the days burning was legal without restrictions.
On Sunday, burning is discouraged with a forecast air quality index of 87.
Violations of the Check Before You Burn law can result in a $50 fine the first time, air quality officials said, with a possibility of having to take a pass a wood smoke awareness exam. Subsequent violations will result in higher fines.
The Sacramento region has been plagued with poor air quality since early August due to the highly destructive wildfire season this year, which has burned well over 4 million acres. The Creek Fire, burning in the Sierra National Forest, continues to cause poor air quality in and around Fresno. Poor air quality, especially due to wildfire smoke, can cause coughing, sore throats and watery eyes, in addition to long-term effects on the lungs and cardiovascular system.
The daily air quality forecast is available in the Air Alert email from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District or on the agency’s app. Residents can get the daily burn status to find out when it’s legal by subscribing to the daily air quality forecast at SpareTheAir.com.
This story was originally published November 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM.