# Might as well be buried in snow!



## Thewife (Jan 16, 2009)

ORCAA NEWS UPDATE  Stage 1 Burn Ban Called for Thurston County
A Stage One Burn Ban is being called for Thurston county, effective 1 p.m. today and continuing at least until Tuesday morning, with a possibility of raising this to a Stage 2 ban on Saturday. 

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. Additionally, no visible smoke is allowed from any wood stove or fireplace, certified or not, beyond a 20-minute start-up period. If we go to Stage 2, use of any wood-burning appliance  including certified wood and pellets stoves  will be prohibited. (*Unless it is determined to be your only adequate source of heat).

A system of stable, high pressure over Western Washington, coupled with cold overnight temperatures has resulted in air pollution levels climbing enough to raise concerns about the air quality and its impacts on health. A change in weather will be needed to restore cleaner air quality, yet thats not forecast to occur until sometime next week. ORCAA staff will continue

While pollution levels in Thurston County warrants the Stage One Ban, other counties within the jurisdiction of the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) havent reached that level. To avoid bans in their areas, the residents of Mason, Pacific, Grays Harbor, Clallam and Jefferson Counties are asked to voluntarily refrain from all outdoor burning, and to use safe alternatives to wood heat if possible. 

Of particular concern are fine particles released by smoke from wood stoves and fireplaces. The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to children, people with heart and lung problems, and adults over age 65.

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 dont 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 http://orcaa.org/programs/woodstoves.php.

 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.


----------



## wynedot55 (Jan 16, 2009)

man that sucks biggtime.i likes my wood heat.an wood is i want to heat with.dang state would have to pay my power bill if they told me i couldnt burn my woodstove.


----------



## Farmer Kitty (Jan 16, 2009)

You'd really rather be buried in snow? It sucks but at least you're warm.


----------



## amysflock (Jan 16, 2009)

OH, %&*@!! I wish I'd read this before DH started BOTH burn piles out in the pasture! They're both total raging infernos...and no wonder the smoke is sorta just hanging.

thewife, can you see our smoke from your house? (Just kidding...it's blowing SE from here!)


----------



## Thewife (Jan 16, 2009)

I ain't turning my heater on!
Our heaters ducts were damaged when they brought the house in. I have had mice in there, shot a woodrat through one of the vent holes and there is 15+ years of dust in there! I consider it a major health hazard at this point!

Kitty, at least if we are buried in snow, I can't look out and see all the stuff I can't burn!

Amy, I could not see your smoke if you were burning on the other side of my barn! We are so fogged in, the world ends at the fence line!
I signed up for the air quality emails, my winter days revolve around my burning!


----------



## Thewife (Jan 19, 2009)

I'm going back to bed!


ORCAA NEWS UPDATE  Stage 2 Burn Ban Called for Thurston County

January 19, 2009  The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) has issued a Stage 2 Burn Ban for all of Thurston County, effective 10 a.m. today.

All woodstove and fireplace use is prohibited under a Stage 2 Burn Ban  this includes a ban on the use of certified woodstoves and pellet stoves. Violators could face fines.

A system of stable, high pressure over Western Washington, coupled with cold overnight temperatures has resulted in air pollution levels climbing enough to raise concerns about the air quality and its impacts on health. A change in weather will be needed to restore cleaner air quality.

A Stage 1 Ban had been in effect for Thurston County over the weekend, but pollution levels increased again as the inversion strengthened overnight. The primary source of pollution this time of year is woodsmoke.

Of particular concern are fine particles released by smoke from wood stoves and fireplaces. The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to children, people with heart and lung problems, and adults over age 65.

Olympic Region Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation to determine when the burn ban can be lifted. 

For more information about Burn Ban regulations, you may refer to Chapter 173-433 of the Washington Administrative Code.


----------



## Farmer Kitty (Jan 19, 2009)




----------



## wynedot55 (Jan 19, 2009)

sounds like you need to just stay in bed till spring comes.


----------



## Thewife (Jan 19, 2009)

It's OK Kitty, 
I'm sure staying in on this nice day, sifting through all of Hubbys hunting magazines and catalogs is much more fun than playing on my tractor and burning stuff!



> sounds like you need to just stay in bed till spring comes.


Can I?
Pleeze!


----------



## wynedot55 (Jan 19, 2009)

yes but you have chores todo i bet.


----------



## Farmer Kitty (Jan 19, 2009)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> yes but you have chores todo i bet.


He's right. You at least have to arrange for them to be done first!


----------



## Thewife (Jan 19, 2009)

But, I thought that was an offer to do my chores, so I could sleep!


One of my sisters just called, she started telling me about all the burning she was doing yesterday! She was thankful that fire was out and she hadn't started another one today!
Am I the only one in this county that keeps up on these things?


----------



## Farmer Kitty (Jan 19, 2009)

> Am I the only one in this county that keeps up on these things?


Sounds like it!


----------

