Winter Spare the Air alert in effect in Bay Area through Thanksgiving night
Don't light your firewood
With colder nights settling in across the Bay Area — and Thanksgiving just around the corner — many families are preparing to light up their fireplaces for a warm, cozy holiday. But before you strike that match, the Bay Area Air District (formerly the Bay Area Air Quality Management District) is reminding residents about new wood-burning regulations that could impact when and how you can enjoy that fire.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Thanksgiving morning will bring widespread fog to Northern California and while conditions have improved across the Bay Area, dense tule fog continues to blanket the Central Valley.
Drivers heading toward the Sacramento–Stockton–Modesto corridor should prepare for sudden drops in visibility.
Tule fog forms when cool, dense air becomes trapped near the ground, often persisting for hours longer in the valley "bowl" than along the coast.
Winter Spare the Air
What we know:
The Bay Area Air District has issued its first Winter Spare the Air alert of the season, in effect through Thanksgiving night. A strong temperature inversion, (a layer of warmer air sitting above colder air near the ground), is preventing pollution from rising and dispersing. As a result, any smoke released today becomes trapped at breathing level.
Wood smoke is the leading source of winter air pollution in the Bay Area. Its microscopic particles can aggravate asthma, trigger bronchitis, and cause respiratory problems, especially for children, older adults, and people with heart or lung conditions.
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New wood-burning standards: What to know as Bay Area temps drop
The Bay Area Air District is reminding residents about new wood-burning regulations that could impact when and how you enjoy your fireplace.
No wood burning, wood stoves or backyard fire pits
- No burning wood in indoor fireplaces
- No backyard fire pits
- No woodstoves unless they are certified clean-burning
- No manufactured logs or pelletsViolations can result in a $100 fine for a first offense, with higher penalties for repeat violations.
- Violations can result in a $100 fine for a first offense, with higher penalties for repeat violations.
Why this matters on Thanksgiving
Holiday gatherings often mean additional traffic, busy kitchens, and more activity around the home. With stagnant air overhead, conditions are favorable for pollution to build quickly. Avoiding wood burning today helps protect vulnerable family members, especially grandparents and young children and improves air quality for the entire community.
Cozy alternatives
If you want that warm holiday ambiance, consider LED candles, electric fireplaces, or simply turning on the heater. These options don’t contribute to particulate pollution and keep the air safer for guests.
The Source: Bay Area Air Quality District, reporting by meteorologist Roberta Gonzales.
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KTVU's Tori Gaines reports from Oakland.