HomeMy WebLinkAboutSouth Coast AQMD PR - Check Before You Burn
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 30, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT:
Nahal Mogharabi, (909) 396-3773, Cell: (909) 837-2431
Kim White, (909) 396-3456, Cell: (909) 323-9479
press@aqmd.gov
Check Before You Burn Pollution Prevention Program Begins November 1
Program aims to reduce air pollution in the cooler months ahead
DIAMOND BAR, CA – Friday, November 1st marks the start
of South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (South
Coast AQMD) 13th Annual Check Before You Burn season
where residents are asked to check whether a No-Burn Day
has been declared before burning wood in their fireplaces.
Under the Check Before You Burn program, residents are
educated about the hazards of wood smoke and prohibited
from burning firewood in a fireplace, stove, or outdoor fire
pit for 24-hours on No-Burn Days. South Coast AQMD
forecasters call for residential No-Burn Days when PM2.5 is
expected to reach elevated levels due to air emissions and
stagnant weather conditions.
Short-term exposure to PM2.5 can cause throat and eye irritation, aggravate asthma, and trigger other
respiratory or cardiovascular health problems. Prolonged exposure to high levels of PM2.5 may increase
the risk of strokes, heart attacks and cancers. Young children, older adults, people with lung or heart
diseases, people who are pregnant, and those who spend a lot of time outdoors are especially
vulnerable to the health effects of PM2.5. Burning wood contributes to poor indoor air quality and poor
air quality in surrounding neighborhoods. Eight No-Burn Days were called last winter.
South Coast AQMD has a related program to help reduce the cost to purchase and install cleaner
products (stoves, inserts, gas logs and retrofit kits). Under the Wood Stove and Fireplace Change-Out
Voucher Incentive Program, residents in eligible zip codes can apply for a voucher that can be taken to a
participating retailer that will discount the price to purchase and install a qualifying device. Households
that meet low-income qualifications are eligible for higher incentive amounts.
South Coast AQMD is providing several resources to the public to make following No-Burn Days as
convenient as possible:
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• E-Mail Notifications: Sign up to receive Air Alerts on air quality and be notified when a
mandatory No-Burn Day has been issued for your neighborhood.
• Check Before You Burn Map: Visit the Check Before You Burn map on our website for daily
forecast information.
• Toll-Free Phone Number: Call 866-966-3293 for daily Check Before You Burn information.
• Web Resources: Visit South Coast AQMD’s Check Before You Burn Program webpage at
www.aqmd.gov/cbyb for more information.
• Mobile App: Download the South Coast AQMD app to check local air quality.
• Social Media: Follow South Coast AQMD’s social media accounts on Facebook, X (formerly
known as Twitter) and Instagram.
South Coast AQMD’s No-Burn Day alerts do not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in
elevation, the Coachella Valley or High Desert, homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-
income households, and those without natural gas service. Gas and other non-wood burning fireplaces
are also exempt.
South Coast AQMD is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los
Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley. For news, air
quality alerts, event updates and more, please visit us at www.aqmd.gov, download our award-winning
app, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram.
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