NEWS RELEASE
February 1 , 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Dan A. Nelson, ORCAA Public Information Officer, Ext. 111
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dan A. Nelson, ORCAA Spokesman
(360) 586-1044
Burn Ban Continues in Thurston and Mason counties
February 1, 2007– A Stage 1 Burn ban remains in effect in Thurston and Mason counties despite a slight change in weather conditions. Under a Stage 1 Ban, no burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves, and all outdoor burning is prohibited, even in areas where outdoor burning is not permanently banned. The National Weather Service has called off an Air Stagnation Alert for most of Western Washington, but the South Sound region continues to feel the effects of the high-pressure system that caused pollution levels to rise.
Until local air monitors show a return to cleaner, healthful air quality, the ban will remain in effect. Conditions improved slightly Thursday. Unfortunately, air stagnation patterns are forecast to settle in over Western Washington again late Friday. That will result in higher concentrations of air pollution once more.
"Though we share a lot with our neighbors to the north, the counties of the South Sound do experience different weather at times," said Dan Nelson, spokesman for Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA). "Though the burn bans in the Central Puget Sound Counties have been lifted, the conditions in our South Sound Communities require that we hold off on that. We understand this could be a hardship on some people, but it's a matter of health."
ORCAA's jurisdiction includes Thurston and Mason Counties, as well as Jefferson, Clallam, Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties. The central Puget Sound counties of Pierce, King, Snohomish and Kitsap are within the jurisdiction of ORCAA's sister agency, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
Olympic Region Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation to determine when the burn ban can be lifted. In the meantime, here are some other things people can do to help protect the air we breathe:
- If you have a certified wood stove or fireplace insert, make sure you are using it properly so you don't produce excess chimney smoke. Excess smoke is always illegal. To learn more about clean burning techniques or upgrading to a certified, pellet, natural gas or propane stove, visit www.burningclean.com.
- To determine if your stove is certified, visit HERE.
- Limit your driving as much as possible, since vehicles are a big source of air pollution year round. Check air-quality forecasts and current conditions at www.orcaa.org. The current and forecasted air-quality conditions are available via the links on the right.
The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency protects and enhances air quality for citizens in Thurston, Mason, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Pacific counties by enforcing federal, state and local air quality regulations. If you have questions specific to the topic above, or just general questions about local air quality, contact ORCAA at (360) 586-1044 or 1-800-422-5623, or visit ORCAA's website, www.orcaa.org.