Get Ready for Residential Wood Smoke Reduction Season
 As cooler weather arrives, the District is reminding Valley residents that choosing not to burn wood is one of the simplest ways to help reduce air pollution in their neighborhoods.
Residential wood burning can be a significant source of wintertime emissions, and wood smoke can directly affect air quality. Whenever possible, residents are encouraged to heat their homes using cleaner alternatives, such as a heat pump or gas fireplace.
During the Residential Wood Smoke Reduction season, which runs from November 1 through the end of February, the District issues daily wood-burning declarations for each county, based on the air quality forecast for the next day. Residents can check their county’s daily declaration at valleyair.org/burnstatus, through the Valley Air app or by calling 1-800-SMOG-INFO (1-800-766-4463).
The three declarations are:
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Burning Discouraged: If you must burn, use only clean, seasoned and dry firewood. Unseasoned wood smolders and produces additional emissions. Burning trash is illegal.
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No Burning Unless Registered: Only residents with a registered, clean-burning device may burn wood inside their homes. Burning in an unregistered wood-burning device is prohibited.
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No Burning For All: Burning any solid fuel - including wood, pellets and manufactured wood like Duraflame logs - is prohibited from midnight to midnight. Violations may result in fines.
Some residences are exempt from the residential wood-burning restrictions, including houses with no other source of heat or no access to piped-in natural gas (even if you use propane).
In addition, outdoor wood-burning devices, such as backyard chimineas and fire pits, at residences are still subject to the daily restrictions, regardless of exemption status.
District inspectors may give out citations to residents who burn when prohibited. Residents who notice possible air quality issues or have concerns can file complaints through the Valley Air app, at valleyair.org/complaints or by calling the District (Northern Region, 800-281-7003; Central Region, 800-870-1037; or Southern Region, 800-926-5550).
Residents who want to replace a wood- or pellet-burning device with a cleaner device can take advantage of the District’s Fireplace & Woodstove Change-Out program to help make the switch.
Starting this winter season, wood-burning curtailment levels in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Kings, and Tulare counties will align with Madera, Fresno, and Kern counties. With this change, incentive levels for the Change-Out program also will align across all eight counties.
Residents can find out how much they qualify for at valleyair.org/change-out.
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