Annual “Check Before You Burn” program

On November 1st, SCAQMD launched its annual “Check Before You Burn” program, designed to protect public health by reducing harmful wood smoke during winter months. Under the program, which runs through the end of February, mandatory no-burn alerts will be issued for Orange County and the non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties when fine particle air pollution levels are forecast to be high. Similar programs exist throughout much of California and in many other areas of the nation.

During a no-burn day, residents in affected areas are not allowed to burn wood – either indoors or outdoors. The no-burn prohibition also applies to manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper. SCAQMD’s no-burn alerts do not apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet in elevation, or communities in the Coachella Valley. Homes that rely on wood as a sole source of heat, low-income households, and those without natural gas service are also exempt. While fine particle pollution levels in Southern California have been decreasing, they are still linked to adverse respiratory affects and more than 4,000 premature deaths in the South Coast Air Basin each year.

To find out if a no-burn alert is in effect, call (866) 966-3293 or check aqmd.gov. For additional information on wood smoke and your health, and to sign up to receive no-burn alerts, visit AirAlerts.org.