Winter Spare the Air Program

The Winter Spare the Air season runs from November 1, 2008, through February 28, 2009. This winter, for the first time in the Bay Area, it will be illegal to burn wood, pellets, or manufactured fire logs when a Winter Spare the Air Alert is issued.

Follow these links for more information on the Air District's wood-burning regulation, and instructions on how to comply.

In the wintertime, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) becomes the pollutant with the greatest impact on air quality. Fine particulates can bypass the body’s natural defenses, penetrating deeply into the lungs and even passing into the bloodstream. Prolonged exposure to the fine particulates in wood smoke has been linked with aggravated asthma, lung and heart disease, and increased mortality rates. Wood burning in fireplaces and woodstoves creates about one-third of the winter particulate matter air pollution in the Bay Area.

When our morning forecast predicts that concentrations of PM2.5 will exceed the national health-based standard, the Air District will issue a Winter Spare the Air Alert. Winter Spare the Air Alerts will be posted on our Spare the Air home page and on the Air District’s www.baaqmd.gov home page.

Winter Spare the Air Alerts will also be recorded at
1-877-4NO-BURN (1-877-466-2876). Residents and businesses can also call this phone number to:

• Sign up for e-mail AirAlerts and automatic Phone Alerts, to “check before you burn.” 

• Report wood smoke concerns in their area.

The Spare the Air Program was established by the
Bay Area Air Quality Management District to educate people about air pollution, and to encourage them to change their behavior to prevent it.

During the summer months ground-level ozone is the pollutant of concern.  Ozone is formed when pollutants combine on hot summer days, and it accumulates when there is little wind.  

In order to protect public health, the Air District issues Spare the Air advisories on days when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy due to high ozone levels. People who are especially sensitive to pollution are advised to limit their time outdoors, particularly in the afternoon hours. These advisories are posted on our web site, recorded on our 1 (800) HELP AIR forecast phone line, announced in local newspapers, and broadcast on local TV and radio stations.

On Spare the Air Days, we ask Bay Area residents to reduce pollution by making clean air choices every day.  These simple actions include driving less, taking public transportation, trip-linking, walking, biking, choosing non-gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment, and avoiding polluting household products.

On this site you will find answers to frequently asked questions about air pollution, descriptions of its health effects, information about how various communities and employers are working to prevent pollution, clean air tips, and a variety of other educational resources.

In addition, the air quality forecast allows you to keep track of air quality conditions in your region of the Bay Area.

	Wood Smoke Rebate Program The Wood Smoke Rebate Program starts Tuesday, November 18, 2008, at 2 pm.  Rebates of $200 will be offered to convert to gas fireplace inserts and stoves.
	Go to 511.org to plan a car-free trip by taking transit, ridesharing, or bicycling.
	SFMTA is inviting a limited number of Muni customers to become part of the TransLink® Trial group and use the system.