The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued its fifth Winter Spare the Air alert for Thursday, prohibiting the use of wood-burning devices.
This is the second consecutive day such an alert has been issued.
The alert calls for a 24-hour ban on burning wood and synthetic logs, both indoors and outdoors, as pollution levels are expected to reach unhealthy levels throughout the region this weekend.
Residents and businesses are prohibited from using fireplaces, woodstoves, outdoor fire pits and any other wood-burning devices for the duration of the ban.
First-time violators will be given the option to take a wood smoke awareness class instead of paying a fine. Second violations will result in a $500 ticket.
The Winter Spare the Air season runs from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28.
More information is available at www.sparetheair.org or at the toll-free hotline at (877) 4-NO-BURN.
Sasha Lekach, Bay City News
Want more news, sent to your inbox every day? Then how about subscribing to our email newsletter? Here’s why we think you should. Come on, give it a try.
