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Department of Ecology News Release - Nov. 7, 2003
03-218
OLYMPIA - Due to an earlier-than-expected increase in moisture and air movement, at 1 p.m. today the Department of Ecology (Ecology) will lift an outdoor burn ban that was issued statewide on Nov. 5.
"Air quality is expected to return to healthier levels, so we are no longer banning all outdoor burning," said Clint Bowman, an Ecology meteorologist.
Check with local authorities before burning, however, as local restrictions may still be in effect.
Stagnant weather conditions are not unusual during Washington's winters. In winter, a layer of warm air can settle over an area and trap cooler air below, Bowman explained. The lower layer of air is kept close to the earth where people breathe, and becomes increasingly dirty as more and more pollutants are released by cars, wood stoves and other sources.
Nearly half of Washington's households have wood stoves or fireplaces. During wintertime air inversions, wood smoke can become especially heavy in residential areas, forcing many people indoors and prompting burn bans in some places.
"We'll continue to monitor the situation throughout the season," said Bowman. "Meanwhile, people should do all they can to get ready for the next round of stagnant air. That means replacing older wood stoves with certified stoves or cleaner fuels, getting their cars tuned and keeping their tires inflated."
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Contact: Leslie Thorpe, Public Information Manager, 360-534-8590 (pager)
For more information:
Local clean-air agencies:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/local.html
Air-quality monitoring data:
https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/ (Link updated 01/18/08))
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
