How do I know if its a Spare the Air Day?
To find out whether a Spare the Air Alert is in effect: Visit the Spare the Air website. Call 1-800-HELP-AIR, or 1-877-4NO-BURN (466-2876) for wood-burning bans. Download the Spare the Air app for iPhone or Android and check the air quality status on your smart phone.
What can you not do on Spare the Air Day?
On a Spare the Air day, Bay Area residents are asked through radio and television announcements to reduce their driving, refrain from using gas-powered gardening equipment and curb other air polluting activities such as painting and aerosol spray can usage.
What is Spare the Air Alert?
Spare the Air was created in 1991 by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to alert residents when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy and to share information on ways to reduce air pollution.
What are pm2 5?
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an air pollutant that is a concern for people’s health when levels in air are high. PM2.5 are tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated.
Can I BBQ when air quality is bad?
Student researchers at the University of California, Riverside found that emissions from commercial grills in Southern California are a significant source of air pollution. Under current regulations, barbecues in the open are prohibited throughout the city.
Are vent free fireplaces legal in California?
Vent-Free fireplaces have been very controversial in the fireplace industry for over decades. In fact, in 1996, they were banned by Alaska, Montana, Minnesota, New York, and Massachusetts, however, after strong influence by the industry, all but California still bans them. …
Why are wood-burning fireplaces banned in California?
Wood-Burning Devices Rule Makes it illegal to use any wood-burning devices (such as fireplaces, woodstoves, or pellet stoves) when fine particulate pollution is forecast to exceed federal health standards and a Spare the Air Alert is in effect.
Where is spare the air in the Bay Area?
That is why a Spare the Air Alert is called for the entire Bay Area when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy in any one of the five reporting zones: North Counties, Coast and Central Bay, Eastern Zone, South Central Bay, and Santa Clara Valley.
When to use spare the air in Sacramento?
A Spare The Air alert in the Sacramento region will be issued when the AQI for ground-level ozone pollution is forecast to reach 126 or above.
When is a spare the air alert called?
A Spare the Air Alert is called when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy, or above 100 in the AQI, in any one of the reporting zones. An alert may span over two days if air quality is expected to remain unhealthy for prolonged periods. If air quality is unhealthy in the Bay Area, it is almost always because of two kinds
How to file a complaint for spare the air?
Residents can file a wood smoke complaint online or by calling 1-877-4NO-BURN (466-2876). In 2019, the wood-burning ban was extended to include any days year-round when a Spare the Air Alert is in effect due to high levels of fine particulate pollution, such as during a wildfire.