Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Nov. 12, 1998

98-192

Contact: Larry Altose, Public Information Officer, 425-649-7192
Sue Billings, Air Quality Manager, Central Washington, 509-575-2486
Grant Pfeifer, Air Quality Manager, Eastern Washington, 509-456-3284

Wood stove, fireplace users urged to curb major air pollution source

OLYMPIA -- Wood stoves and fireplaces outpace all other sources of fine-particle air pollution in Washington state during the late fall and winter. The state Department of Ecology urges all residents who heat with wood to help keep their neighborhoods healthy places to breathe.

"Wood smoke is our largest source of particulate matter, and it occurs right in people’s own homes," said Mary Burg, Ecology's air-quality program manager. "If you use a wood stove, fireplace or fireplace insert, you can do a lot to control the smoke, which will result in cleaner air and more heat from your wood."

Use these tips for cleaner burning:

Start with the right fuel: dry, seasoned wood. Firewood should be split and dried six months to a year in a covered, well ventilated, loosely packed stack. Never burn wet, unseasoned, painted or treated wood. Don't burn paper, except to start a fire.

Burn small, hot fires with plenty of airflow. Fill the firebox no more than halfway and load the wood loosely. Never cut off the air supply.

Check the smoke that’s being emitted. Step outside after the fire has been going several minutes and look at the chimney. A fire with dry wood and the right amount of air produces heat waves and almost no visible smoke.

The tiny particles in wood smoke -- less than 2.5 thousandths of a millimeter in size -- can damage the lungs. The particles are so small they float past the body's defenses against larger particles and scar the delicate air sacs deep inside the lungs. The particles also are small enough to seep indoors, especially in neighborhoods where many people heat with wood.

For written information on cleaner burning, health effects of wood smoke, and simple plans for a cordwood shelter, call Ecology's wood-smoke information line: 800-523-INFO (4636). On the Internet, please visit the Air Quality home page and select a topic under Wood Stove Information.

Local air pollution control agencies have programs in some areas to temporarily restrict the use of wood stoves and fireplaces (but not those relied on as a sole source of adequate heat). Areas with these programs are in the following counties: King, Kitsap, Pierce, Skagit, Spokane, Snohomish, Thurston, Yakima, Whatcom. For more information, visit the Local Air Pollution Control Agencies home page and click on your county.