This holiday season, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors along with the Maricopa County Air Quality Department is asking residents to refrain from wood-burning in fireplaces and/or woodstoves as well as open burning in outdoor fire pits unless absolutely necessary.
While there is no High Pollution Advisory to preempt this no burn request, there is a PM-10 Health Watch Friday as a result of blowing dust and Maricopa County officials are taking our Valley’s particulate pollution problem very seriously.
When there is an increased amount of wood-burning, the air monitoring sites pick up extremely high levels of PM-2.5 (or particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or less). PM-2.5 is created primarily as a result of wood smoke. PM-2.5 is also one of the main ingredients that we see in the Valley’s “Brown Cloud.”
Last year on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, Maricopa County experienced unhealthy levels of PM-2.5 as a result of wood smoke. This year, Maricopa County is taking a proactive approach and trying to address our particulate pollution problem by asking residents not to burn.
We are all a part of the problem but we can also be a part of the solution. If every person gets this message and chooses not to burn, there will be cleaner air to breathe. Give the gift of clean air this season; don’t burn.
Follow these easy steps to help reduce dust pollution:
ü Drive less, particularly on pollution advisory days. Reduce the number of trips you take in your car.
ü Drive slowly on unpaved roads (best under 15 miles-per-hour).
ü Don’t use leaf blowers and other equipment that raise a lot of dust. Use a rake or broom instead.
ü Avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
ü Maintain your landscape. Cover loose dirt with vegetation or gravel.
ü Reduce fireplace and woodstove use, and don’t use your wood-burning fireplace, wood stove or outdoor fire pits on a No Burn Day.
ü Consider using gas instead of wood. If you use a wood-burning stove, or fireplace insert, make sure it meets EPA design specifications and burn only dry, seasoned wood.
ü Don’t burn leaves, trash or other materials.
ü Report serious offenders to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department at 602-372-2703.
PM-2.5 BACKGROUND: PM-2.5 stands for particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or less. State and county agencies measure PM-10 and PM-2.5 which are extremely small solid particles and liquid droplets found circulating in the air. PM, or particulate matter, comes from either combustion (cars, industry, wood-burning) or dust stirred up into the air. High levels of PM are typically created when the air is especially stagnant.
WHO’S WHO:
The Maricopa County Air Quality Department issues No Burn Day restrictions based on current weather conditions or a high pollution advisory or health watch. These No Burn Day restrictions occur during the winter pollution season (October through February). To find out if any burn restrictions are in place, call 602-506-6400. Information is given in both English and Spanish.
To learn more about the Maricopa County residential wood-burning restriction ordinance, view a copy on our website www.maricopa.gov/aq. Here’s a direct link to the ordinance: http://www.maricopa.gov/aq/divisions/planning_analysis/rules/docs/rwro9911.pdf.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality [ADEQ] provides a daily forecast for air quality. When conditions exist, ADEQ will issue high pollution advisories or health watches. To listen to the daily air quality forecast, call 602-771-2367. View the three day forecast on-line: http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/ozone/ensemble.pdf.
Valley Metro/Regional Public Transportation Authority (RPTA) is an organization of 14 local governments that provides or funds transit services to citizens in the greater Phoenix metropolitan and surrounding areas. These services include the promotion of ridesharing and use of alternative modes to help improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Valley Metro encourages commuters to find a carpool partner, join an existing vanpool or find out about bus schedules, biking, walking to work, telecommuting or compressed work weeks by logging on to www.ValleyMetro.org or call (602) 262-7433 (RIDE).
Media contacts:
Maricopa County Air Quality Department
Holly Ward - 602-506-6713 desk / 602-201-6092 pager
Erin Bruno – 602-506-6751 desk/ 602-201-6092 pager
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality [ADEQ]
Mark Shaffer - 602-771-2215 desk / 602-478-2095 cell
Valley Metro
Susan Tierney - 602-262-4668 desk / 602-292-4093 mobile