Keep that wood in the shed. At least for tomorrow.
And maybe the day after that. And the day after that.
For the fourth time in the first 16 days of 2013, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare The Air order.
This winter alert is scheduled for Wednesday.
Aaron Richardson, a spokesman for the BAAQMD, said there's a possibility three or four Spare the Air alerts could be issued this week.
He said the weather forecast calls for continued cold weather with light winds and no rain. That kind of weather tends to trap particulates in the air and prompt the wood-burning bans.
The alerts prohibit the burning of wood, firelogs, pellets or other solid fuels in a fireplace or other wood-burning device. Residents whose only source of heat is wood burning are exempt from the prohibition.
First-time violators are given the option of taking an online wood smoke class or paying a $100 fine. Second-time violators are fined $500. The fines continue to increase with each violation.
