Getting the most out of your firewood

Summer is over and the chilly nights are upon us. You may be getting ready to fire up your wood stove or fireplace as you settle in for the winter. Before you do, however, take a moment to learn about temperature inversions, air quality burn bans, and how to get the most out of your fire while protecting your health.

Poor air quality can result in a burn ban

During the winter, a weather pattern called an inversion can trap stagnant air and unhealthy wood smoke close to the ground. 

If air quality reaches unhealthy levels, an air quality burn ban may be called by your local clean air agency, Ecology, or tribes. Check for an air quality burn ban in your area at ecology.wa.gov/burnbans or waburnbans.net. 


Air quality burn bans have two stages:

• Stage 1 burn ban
• No use of uncertified wood stoves or fireplaces is allowed.
• No outdoor burning, agricultural, or forest burning is allowed.
• Stage 2 burn ban
• No burning indoors or outdoors is allowed.

Air quality burn bans do not apply if wood is your only source of heat. 

Only burn dry, seasoned wood

Dry, seasoned wood provides up to 44 percent more heat than fresh cut or wet wood. Not only does that save you money, it creates less smoke and air pollution. Follow these tips to get the most out of your fire:

• Split your wood as soon as you get it.
• Stack your wood so it has airflow.
• Season your wood for at least 6 months.
• Cover your wood to keep it out of rain and snow.

A good burning fire should have minimal smoke coming out of the chimney and should be easy to see through. Filling your stove up with wood doesn’t make a fire hotter - by overfilling your stove, you rob the fire of oxygen, thereby producing less heat, wasting wood, and creating more unhealthy smoke.

Use the right wood stove for your home

Ecology regulates the types of wood burning devices that can be sold, resold, exchanged, or given away. These devices must meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Washington’s stricter certification standards. Use a stove that is certified in Washington, the right size for your home, and properly installed. Never install, sell, or even give away a non-certified wood stove.

If your stove isn’t certified, you should replace it, or consider switching to a natural gas or electric device. Check with your local clean air agency for grant programs to help offset the costs of replacing a wood stove with a certified model, or switching your heat source altogether. 

Health effects from wood smoke

Wood smoke is one of the main sources of air pollution in Washington and can cause health problems for everyone. Wood stoves, fireplaces, and other wood burning devices put out hundreds of times more air pollution than other sources of heat, such as natural gas or electricity. The smoke and soot from burning wood contains fine particles and harmful gases, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and organic compounds. The particles are so small that they lodge deep in your lungs when inhaled and can cause serious health problems, including:

• Burning eyes
• Runny nose
• Coughing
• Respiratory infections
• Asthma attacks
• Bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer
• Irregular heart beat
• Heart attacks and cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
  

Kids, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with existing lung or heart diseases are the most sensitive to air pollution. Households that burn wood for heat are at greater risk for respiratory illnesses. Learn more about how wood smoke harms your health.

Now that you are prepared, go ahead and make some hot chocolate, break out your fuzzy slippers and have a movie marathon night in front of your nice, safe, warm fire.

By Kim Vaughn / Air Quality

It's wildfire season — know how to protect your health and the environment

Remember last summer when it seemed like the air would never clear up? This summer, be prepared if smoke from wildfires affects your community. Wildfire smoke is made up of gases and particulate matter that can be dangerous when inhaled. Carbon monoxide is risky to people who live and work near smoldering areas. 

Recent warm and dry weather melted last winter's snowpack faster than normal. Even though we had a healthy amount of snow, rapid melting means there is less water to supply our rivers and streams. Below normal streamflows are expected this summer and wildfire risk is high.

Burn bans

Where you live determines who calls burn bans. When wildfire danger is high, the Department of Natural Resources will declare a fire-safety burn ban on state lands. Local fire districts will restrict burning in city limits and unincorporated areas, while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will call burn bans on tribal lands.

If you see someone burning illegally, or if you are being impacted by smoke, report it!

Be “air aware” and have an emergency plan

Check the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA) and Washington Smoke Information web pages to stay informed about air quality and smoke events. The WAQA uses color-coded categories to show when air quality is good, moderate, or unhealthy. In the event your community is affected by a wildfire, have an emergency plan ready, watch for alerts, and follow evacuation orders.

 

How to tell if smoke is affecting you

Even if you are healthy smoke can affect you by causing:

• Watery or dry eyes.
• Lung and sinus irritation.
• Coughing, phlegm.
• Shortness of breath and wheezing.
• Headaches.
• Irregular heartbeat, chest pain, or fatigue.
• Nonfatal and fatal heart attacks.

 

Some people are more sensitive to smoke

Symptoms may be worse for people with pre-existing health conditions. If you are in one of the groups below seek medical attention if your condition worsens.

• People with lung diseases and respiratory infections.
• People with existing heart or circulatory problems.
• People with a prior history of heart attack or stroke.
• People with diabetes.
• Infants and children under 18.
• Adults over age 65.
• Pregnant women.
• People who smoke.

 

Protect yourself and your animals from smoke

If you are indoors:

• Don’t smoke cigarettes, use candles, wood stoves, or vacuums, and don’t burn incense.
• Keep windows and doors closed. Blow a fan directly on you to keep cool.
• Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to reduce indoor air pollution.
• Set your air conditioner to recirculate.

If you are outdoors:

• If you are in a sensitive group, reconsider any outdoor activities.
• If you must be outdoors, use an N95 respirator mask. These masks filter 95 percent of smoke particles, but they do not protect from toxic gases. Wet towels and bandanas do not provide protection from particulate matter. Respirator masks can’t protect if they don’t fit, so children and men with beards may not benefit from a mask. If you are in a sensitive group, check with your doctor before using a mask.
• Protect your eyes by wearing goggles.
• Don’t mow your yard, fill up your gas tank, or do any strenuous activity until the air is clear.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Keep car windows rolled up and set your AC to recirculate.
• When possible, leave the area.
  

If you raise animals:

• Reduce their time spent in smoky areas.
• Provide them with plenty of water.
• Limit activities that will increase their breathing.
• If your pet or livestock is coughing or having difficulty breathing, contact your veterinarian.

 

Get relief from symptoms

If you are in one of the sensitive groups, contact your health care provider if your symptoms worsen. Most healthy people can get relief by:

• Using artificial tear drops for itchy eyes.
• Drinking plenty of water and running a humidifier for a scratchy throat.
• Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever for headaches. 

What you can do

There are many ways you can help prevent wildfires. Seventy-five percent of wildfires are caused by humans.

• Put campfires out completely.
• Follow burn bans. 
• Don't burn yard waste on windy days.
• Don't throw cigarette butts out your window. 
• Keep the perimeter around your property clear.

By Kim Vaughn / Air Quality Communications

Clean Air Month - part 2

Ways to protect the air

Today, we’re continuing our blog conversations that celebrate Clean Air – and sharing practical ways we all can do our part to protect and improve the air we breathe. Last time, we looked at just what is part of the Clean Air Act. In this blog, we'll consider how wood burning, household chemicals and buying products made locally impact air quality.

Buy local
The less time products spend on a ship, train, or semi-truck the less air pollution is created.

 

Consider ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, and reconsider where your items originate from. Buying local also supports small businesses and creates jobs. We all win when you buy local!

Use an adequate wood burning device
During winter we often have stagnant air that traps smoke near the ground. Heating your home with a wood burning device can increase your family’s health risk consisting of lung and breathing problems. Wood burning devices include:

• Wood and pellet stoves.
• Wood furnaces.
• Manufactured fireplaces.
• Masonry heaters.

Only certified wood burning devices are legal to purchase, sell, or give away in this state, whether new or used. They must meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington standards. If it doesn’t, check with your local air authority for grant programs to help replace your old stove, or better yet, switch to electric heat! Many electric companies offer grants to help convert your house to electric heat.

Burn wood the right way
You should only burn dry wood that has been split, stacked, and stored for at least a year. Dry wood emits less smoke and makes a hotter fire. You should be able to easily see through the smoke coming from your chimney. If you buy wood, ask if it has been properly seasoned. Properly dried and aged wood burns more efficient and saves you money! 

Only burn vegetation
Never burn anything other than vegetation. Check for burn bans before you start a fire and keep something nearby to extinguish it. For campfires, be sure to put them out completely and never leave them unattended. Everybody loves a good fire, but the smoke shouldn’t annoy your neighbor.

Burn barrels, construction debris, garbage, and scraps from another property are illegal to burn everywhere in Washington.

Reconsider burning altogether
There are many alternatives to burning yard waste. When mowing, leave grass clippings where they land. They provide nutrients for your lawn. Start making your own garden compost, or check with your community for free yard waste drop off days. The less you burn, the cleaner the air.

Dispose chemicals responsibly
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) contribute to ground-level ozone formation because they evaporate into the air. Check with your local landfill or visit Ecology’s website to find a proper disposal facility. 

Some common VOCs to look out for are:

• Acetone (nail polish remover, furniture polish, wallpaper).
• Benzene (glue, paint, carpet, gasoline emissions).
• Butanal (barbeque emissions, burning candles, stoves, cigarettes).
• Carbon disulfide (chlorinated tap water).
• Dichlorobenzene (mothballs, deodorizers). 
• Ethanol (glass cleaners, dishwasher and laundry detergents).
• Formaldehyde (floor lacquers, some molded plastics).
• Terpene (fragrances such as soap and detergents).
• Toluene (paint).
• Xylene (traffic emissions, idling cars).

In our next blog we’ll address how all these activities influence climate change and how clean energy industries and our vehicle choices have an impact on clean air.

By Kim Vaughn | Air Quality

Clean Air Month - Part 1

Our future and air pollution

Air quality has improved dramatically since the Clean Air Act was initiated in 1970 to respond to industrial pollution that at that time had no prevention controls in place.

Still today, hundreds of studies show that air pollution threatens the health of Washingtonians -- your health. The challenge for the future will be to continue to improve air quality in the face of population and industry growth. Together, we can make a difference.

For the month of May we’ve been celebrating Clean Air with tweets and this blog post. Look for other updates on May 22 and 25 at ECOconnect.

What is clean air?
Clean  air naturally balances gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. Clean air does not contain pollutants and allergens, harm the environment, disrupt your view of scenic vistas, or cause health problems, as defined in statute to protect human health and the environment.

Air pollution is caused from a variety of sources that we all contribute to. Some of the sources are:

• Emissions from vehicles, ships, trains, and airplanes. 
• Emissions from construction equipment.
• Campfires, forest fires, and agricultural burning.
• Cooking, BBQ, and wood-burning stoves.
• Solvent-based cleaning supplies.
• Blowing dust, soot, ash, etc.
• Commercial and industrial facilities like factories, restaurants, and dry cleaners.

By doing your part, you can help protect our clean air, environment, recreation activities, and health.

How we protect the air
The federal Clean Air Act requires states to develop plans to monitor and reduce air pollution to protect the environment and public health. The EPA sets national standards, or limits, for six criteria air pollutants called the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.  The six criteria air pollutants are:

• Nitrogen dioxide.
• Ozone.
• Particle pollution.
• Sulfur dioxide.
• Carbon monoxide.
• Lead.

It is each state’s responsibility to monitor the air and make sure they are meeting the national standards. If air pollution reaches levels that harm human health, the state must develop a plan to clean up the air. These plans are known as State Implementation Plans. 

Ecology and seven local clean air agencies help keep the air clean by:

• Developing and enforcing rules about air quality.
• Regulating harmful emissions from vehicles, burning, and industrial activities, and reducing greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
• Issuing air quality permits. Inspecting – and fining, when necessary – businesses and industries that have those permits.
• Tracking air quality using about 70 air monitoring stations.
• Developing plans to maintain and improve air quality.
• Informing the public about air conditions by:
• Issuing daily decisions for agricultural burn permit holders.
• Calling burn bans.
• Educating the public about making healthy, clean air choices.

In our next blog, we’ll explore specific ways we all can protect clean air.

By Kim Vaughn | Air Quality

Wanted: Old, polluting wood stoves

While gathering around a fire has been a traditional means of keeping warm in the winter months for thousands of years, it’s a problem for many of our communities today. 

Wood smoke is one of the main sources of air pollution in Washington and our communities often suffer with poor air quality because of it. One of the ways Ecology is working to improve air quality is through wood stove buy-back programs. 

Smoke pollution still a problem despite improved technology

Newer wood stove technology has greatly improved and exceeded older wood stoves in efficiency and smoke reduction. For example, an old, uncertified wood stove produces about 252 pounds per year of smoke while a certified wood stove produces about 50 pounds per year. Comparatively, pellet, gas, or electric home heating makes much less smoke if any at all.

Even with improved technology standards since 1995, wood smoke is one of the main sources of air pollution in Washington. In winter, more than half of our fine particle pollution comes from wood burning devices for home heating. These tiny particles are small enough to make it past our natural defenses and lodge deep in the lung tissue where they have long lasting effects on respiratory and cardiovascular functions. As you might imagine, these pollution particles are in greatest concentration where the smoke is produced, our residential neighborhoods. 

Say “Hello” to wood stove buy-back events!

In order to improve air quality, Ecology developed incentive programs to reduce the number of uncertified wood stoves. Residents can upgrade their home heating device to a less polluting option. Old, uncertified stoves can be turned in for a cash reward, about $200.

Wood stove buy-back events are usually held in communities which have had a few seasons of elevated levels of fine particle pollution (particulate matter, PM 2.5) and received funding from the Washington Legislature. When funding is available, Ecology partners with local communities to work out event details, like location, advertising, and metal recycling.

On the day of the event, wood stoves are inspected to ensure they meet minimum standards as set in the advertising. The wood stoves must have been removed from a residence in the designated community or county of the event.

From 2012-2017, eight events resulted in 748 old wood stoves turned in by Eastern Washington residents. Those old wood stoves were destroyed and the metal recycled, removing future smoke from that stove, permanently. That translates to about three tons of wood smoke prevention per event. Eleven tons total so far! 

These programs have been well received by participants. Positive feedback has come from the public in comments such as:

“This will help with the smoke in the winter.” 

“This is awesome I hate my woodstove.”

Funding for buy-back programs

On Jan. 19, 2018, Gov. Jay Inslee signed the 2018 Supplemental Capital Budget which included $2 million in funding to Ecology to provide wood stove grants and programs.  Ecology expects to begin soliciting proposals in the late spring of 2018.

By Camille Bennett | Air Quality