LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Forecasts of air pollution throughout Riverside County have prompted officials to issue a wood-burning ban that begins Saturday.
The ban, which was set to expire late on Thursday evening, will stay in effect for much of the county. The ban will now be in effect until at least 11:59 p.m. for all those in the South Coast Air Basin.
The residential wood-burning ban excludes the Coachella Valley, the high desert area and communities above 3,000 feet, the South Coast Air Quality Management District said.
South Coast AQMD said that burning wood in fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device is prohibited at any time during the wood-burning ban. The rule also prohibits burning wood as well as manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper.
“Do your part to help keep our air clean by not burning wood during the mandatory wood-burning ban. No-Burn Day alerts are mandatory in order to protect public health when levels of fine particulate air pollution in the region are forecast to be high anywhere in the South Coast Air Basin,” the agency said.
Burning wood in areas affected by poor air quality raises health risks for residents as fine particles in wood smoke — also known as PM2.5 — can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory issues such as asthma. This week’s order was extended to protect air quality.
However, homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households, and those without natural gas service are exempt from the requirement.
Residents can get no-burn day notifications by signing up for alerts through email or text at www.AirAlerts.org.
