WA Burn Bans

As of 12:00 p.m., Thursday, February 16, 2012:

A Stage 1 Burn Ban has been declared for both the Upper and Lower Yakima County areas, to remain in place until 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 17, 2012.  This burn ban has been called due to poor ventilation, dispersion and a low level inversion for the Yakima Valley.

• PM2.5 levels are increasing and are Unhealthy (Orange) for the Upper and Moderate (Yellow) for the Lower Valley.
• Ventilation category is poor.
• Dispersion category is poor.
• Weather predictions are for improvement to good ventilation and dispersion by early Saturday morning.
• No Agricultural Burning –  allocations are 0 piles per request for both Upper and Lower County Areas while the burn ban is in place
• We will continue to re-evaluate the Burn Ban status.

 Please Note:  Restrictions may differ within the exterior boundaries of the Yakama Reservation.  The Yakama Nation is addressing air quality issues in conjunction with the EPA, under the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR).  For up-to-date information there, please call 1-800-424-4EPA (1-800-424-4372) and ask for the FARR Hotline or visit the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) website for the current burn status at www.epa.gov/r10earth/FARR.htm .

Reminder:

During a Stage 1 Burn Ban:

1. All Outdoor Burning, including Agricultural burning, is prohibited;
2. The use of any fireplace, uncertified wood stove or uncertified fireplace insert is prohibited unless it is the only adequate means of heating a home;
3. Certified wood stove, certified fireplace insert or pellet stove/insert use is allowed;
4. No excessive smoke (over 20% opacity) is allowed from any wood burning device beyond a 20-minute start-up; and
5. All violations of the burn ban are subject to civil penalty.

OLYMPIA – A Stage 1 burn ban in Okanogan County expires at 10 a.m. today (Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012) as scheduled, according to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).

During a Stage 1 ban, use of uncertified wood-burning devices (including wood stoves, inserts and fireplaces) and all outdoor burning are prohibited.

These activities may resume after the burn ban expires. However, Ecology urges people to think twice before burning because smoke from outdoor burning and wood-burning devices easily builds up at this time of year, when stagnant air conditions can trap smoke close to the ground.

Fine particles in smoke are so small they can easily get into your lungs. Once there, they can cause heart and breathing problems, and even death. Children, people with asthma and respiratory illnesses, and adults older than 65 are most at risk.

By limiting burning as much as possible, residents of affected areas can help prevent air quality from deteriorating to the point that burn bans are needed. And by following restrictions when burn bans are called, they can help limit the time period the bans are in effect.

A 2009 Ecology analysis estimates that fine particles contribute to about 1,100 deaths and about $190 million in health-care costs each year in Washington. (www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0902021.html)

For burn ban updates:

• Check local media reports.
• Call Ecology’s daily burn decision hotline (1-800-406-5322 in Washington).
• Check Ecology’s burn bans web page. (www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/outdoor_woodsmoke/burn_ban.htm)
• Go online to www.waburnbans.net.

You can report burn ban violators by calling Ecology’s smoke complaint hotline (1-866-211-6284).

The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors, especially when exercising. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to people with lung and heart problems, people with diabetes, children, and older adults (over age 65).

Ecology recommends that people limit vehicle trips, combine errands or use public transportation to reduce air pollution.

You can track air quality in your area by using the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA). This is Ecology’s tool for informing people about the health effects of air pollution, including fine particles. It uses color-coded categories to show when air quality is good, moderate or unhealthy. (https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/Default.htm)

For more information about WAQA, see this Ecology focus sheet. (www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0802022.pdf)

###

See a list of certified wood stoves and other information (www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/indoor_woodsmoke/wood_smoke_page.htm)

Tips on getting the most heat from your firewood
(burndryfirewood.com/)

The Burn Ban for both Upper and Lower Yakima County areas has been REMOVED for all areas in YRCAA’s jurisdiction due to a slight improvement in ventilation projected for this afternoon.

• PM2.5 Monitor values are currently Moderate (Yellow) in the Upper County area and Good (Green) in Lower County areas.
• PM2.5 Levels expected to improve in the afternoon
• Poor ventilation but wind speed will be about 6 to 7 mph tonight which should help in dispersion
• Agricultural Burn allocation level is 4 – up to 50 tons for Upper and Lower County areas (see Outdoor Burning, below)

Note: Burn Ban conditions are re-evaluated daily – for your convenience you can also sign up for our Burn Ban E-mail Updates at www.yakimacleanair.org .

Outdoor Burning:

 Agricultural Burning will be allowed to resume, but only with a valid 2012 Agricultural Burn permit and approved Daily Burn Allocations.  Please call the YRCAA Office (509-834-2050) to receive a burn allocation.

1. Reminder:  The period for Outdoor Residential Burning ended on the 15^th of October, 2011.  Outdoor Residential burning will not resume until March 15^th, 2012, with a 2012 Residential Burn Permit issued through this office.

 Please Note:  Restrictions may differ within the exterior boundaries of the Yakama Reservation.  The Yakama Nationis addressing air quality issues in conjunction with the EPA, under the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR).  For up-to-date information there, please call 1-800-424-4EPA (1-800-424-4372) and ask for the FARR Hotline or visit the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) website for the current burn status at www.epa.gov/r10earth/FARR.htm .

Thank you for your assistance in shortening the period of this most recent burn curtailment.

OLYMPIA – A burn ban starts at 4 p.m. today (Friday, Feb. 10, 2012) in Okanogan County, according to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).

Ecology’s Stage 1 burn ban for Okanogan County will continue until at least 10 a.m. Tuesday (Feb. 14), when it could be called off or extended. The Stage 1 ban applies to unnecessary use of uncertified wood-burning devices (including wood stoves, inserts and fireplaces) and to all outdoor burning.

Ecology’s burn bans do not apply on tribal reservations, where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has jurisdiction.

Smoke from outdoor burning and wood-burning devices builds up where cold air is trapped near the ground. Fine particles in smoke are so small they can easily get into your lungs. Once there, they can cause heart and breathing problems, and even death. Children, people with asthma and respiratory illnesses, and adults older than 65 are most at risk.

Under a Stage 1 ban:

• Use of uncertified wood-burning devices – including fireplaces, wood stoves and inserts – is prohibited unless they are a home’s only source of heat. Uncertified units typically were built before 1990 and lack a certification label on the back of the unit.

• All outdoor burning – including residential, agricultural and forest burning – is prohibited.

• Use of certified wood-burning devices and pellet stoves is allowed. Ecology recommends burning hot fires using only clean, dry wood.

• No excessive smoke is allowed from any wood-burning device beyond a 20-minute start-up.

Burn ban violators are subject to civil penalties.

A 2009 Ecology analysis estimates that fine particles contribute to about 1,100 deaths and about $190 million in health-care costs each year in Washington. (www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0902021.html)

For burn ban updates:

• Check local media reports.
• Call Ecology’s daily burn decision hotline (1-800-406-5322 in Washington).
• Check Ecology’s burn bans web page. (www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/outdoor_woodsmoke/burn_ban.htm)
• Go online to www.waburnbans.net.

You can report burn ban violators by calling Ecology’s smoke complaint hotline (1-866-211-6284).

The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors, especially when exercising. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to people with lung and heart problems, people with diabetes, children, and adults over age 65.

Ecology recommends that people limit vehicle trips, combine errands or use public transportation to reduce air pollution.

You can track air quality in your area by using the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA). This is Ecology’s tool for informing people about the health effects of air pollution, including fine particles. It uses color-coded categories to show when air quality is good, moderate or unhealthy. (https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/Default.htm)

For more information about WAQA, see this Ecology focus sheet. (www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0802022.pdf)

###

See a list of certified wood stoves and other information (www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/indoor_woodsmoke/wood_smoke_page.htm)

Tips on getting the most heat from your firewood
(burndryfirewood.com/)

DATE:            Thursday, February 09, 2012

TIME:             4:30 p.m. PST

TO:                 Media and Reporting Fire Districts

FROM:           Dave Caprile, PIO, YRCAA

SUBJECT:      YAKIMA COUNTY – BURN BAN DECLARED

A Stage 1 Burn Ban has been declared for both the Upper and Lower Yakima County areas.

• PM2.5 levels are increasing and are currently Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Orange) in both Upper and Lower County Areas.
• Weather predictions are for poor ventilation and dispersion for the next few days with calm surface winds; this may cause PM2.5 levels to continue increasing to Unhealthy levels.
• No Agricultural Burning –  allocations are 0 piles per request for both Upper and Lower County Areas while the burn ban is in place
• We will re-evaluate the Burn Ban status again tomorrow morning.
• Please      Note:  Restrictions may differ within the exterior boundaries of the      Yakama Reservation.  The Yakama Nation is addressing      air quality issues in conjunction with the EPA, under the Federal Air      Rules for Reservations (FARR).  For up-to-date information there,      please call 1-800-424-4EPA (1-800-424-4372) and ask for the FARR Hotline      or visit the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) website for the      current burn status at www.epa.gov/r10earth/FARR.htm      .

Reminder:

During a Stage 1 Burn Ban:

1. All Outdoor Burning, including Agricultural burning, is prohibited;
2. The use of any fireplace, uncertified wood stove or uncertified fireplace insert is prohibited unless it is the only adequate means of heating a home;
3. Certified wood stove, certified fireplace insert or pellet stove/insert use is allowed;
4. No excessive smoke (over 20% opacity) is allowed from any wood burning device beyond a 20-minute start-up; and
5. All violations of the burn ban are subject to civil penalty.

Thank you for your cooperation.