by Meghan Walker at our sister site myballard
With around 20 wildfires still blazing in British Columbia, the air quality burn ban has been reinstated for King County.
With more wildfire smoke from BC moving into our region, PSCAA is issuing a Stage 1 Air Quality Burn Ban, effective at 2 PM today, 8-8-17
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has again issued the Stage 1 ban for King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, effective at 2pm on August 8. “With high pressure pushing more smoke into the Puget Sound area, we forecast levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups through Friday,” the agency writes in a statement. “We expect calm winds and smoke to settle daily. Saturday and onward, the area of high pressure should push eastward, bringing us back our more typical and cleaner air from the Pacific Ocean.”
As a reminder, the Stage 1 ban includes the following:
- No charcoal barbeques or similar solid fuel devices
- No fire pits, chimineas, fire bowls, or similar free-standing devices
- No campfires or bonfires
- No fireplaces, uncertified wood stoves, or uncertified inserts*
- No agricultural fires (as described in the agricultural burn permit)
- Local fire districts do not grant Native American ceremonial fire permits outside of tribal lands during air quality burn bans.
It’s okay to use natural gas and propane grills, stoves, or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.