"On Spare the Air Days, residents are prohibited from burning fireplaces, fire pits or wood stoves. The anticipated increase to some 19 to 41 alerts per year compared with the historic average of 15 sparked concerns on Times-Herald social media, and the Times-Herald asked the district to respond. Concerns included the financial impact on low-income families; whether the biggest polluters re businesses, not residents; and whether the increase would save lives. One reader opined that the increase in Spare the Air alerts amounted to "taking away a low-cost fuel source for heating from families who most likely can't afford their (Pacific Gas and Electric) bill in winter otherwise.""
""If a home has an EPA-certified wood stove as its only source of heat, it can be registered with the Air District as exempt from Spare the Air Alert burn bans," said Aaron Richardson, spokesman for the district. To register, visit https://airtable.com/appzwsnnifiKR1m4Q/shrMD3nWDKHxBYph9 Also, PG&E has a number of programs offering financial assistance with bills. https://www.pge.com/en/account/billing-and-assistance/financial-assistance.html"
"According to Richardson, "Fireplaces themselves are extremely inefficient sources of heat and can actually make a home colder by pulling warm air up the chimney." Also, the spokesman said, there are costs associated with wood stove heating; many homeowners will not have a free source of wood, and even if they do, there are labor and maintenance costs associated, along with the health costs related to wood smoke exposure."
Spare the Air alerts in the Bay Area are expected to rise from a historic average of 15 to roughly 19–41 days per year, banning residential burning of fireplaces, fire pits and wood stoves on those days. Residents raised concerns about financial impacts on low-income households, whether businesses are the larger polluters, and whether the increase will save lives. Homes with EPA-certified wood stoves that are the only heat source can register for an exemption, and PG&E offers bill-assistance programs. The district noted fireplaces are inefficient and that wood heating incurs fuel, labor, maintenance and health costs from smoke exposure.
Read at The Mercury News
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