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The board of directors at the Bay Area Air District voted Wednesday to lower the criteria to declare Spare the Air alerts.
A press release from the air district stated that alerts will be issued when a daily forecast for fine particulate matter reaches 25 micrograms per cubic meter, down from the previous threshold of 35 micrograms, potentially creating more frequent alerts in the future when wood smoke is detected.
Particulate matter is defined as tiny particles in the air that people could breathe into their lungs and potentially have adverse health effects. Matter can originate from a variety of man-made and natural sources, such as fossil fuel combustion, wood burning and dust.
Previous years have averaged 15 Spare the Air alerts, but the air district said the lower threshold could mean more than twice that number of alerts may be called as a result.
“Cleaner air benefits every Bay Area resident,” Philip Fine, executive officer of the air district, said in a written statement. “With more protective standards in place, our communities will be healthier, and together we can reduce the pollution that harms our families and neighborhoods.”
According to the agency, residential word burning is the largest source of particulate matter in the Bay Area during the winter and can potentially have the most adverse health impacts.
The new threshold for Spare the Air alerts will help to mitigate the amount of wood smoke from either residential or natural sources.
The air district stated the new criteria will facilitate more prescribed burns by alerting the public of air quality issues and prioritizing their health.
Cal Fire’s prescribed fire database shows over 163 burns have been conducted across California for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
“Prescribed burns reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, which produce far more smoke and cause greater harm to our communities,” said air district board chair Lynda Hopkins. “By supporting beneficial fire while maintaining strict safeguards for air quality, we are protecting both public health and the environment.”
While it is illegal for the public to use their fireplaces or any other wood-burning apparatus during a Spare the Air alert, exemptions are available for residences without permanently installed heating. However, certain criteria must still be followed.
For more information about Spare the Air Alerts, members of the public can visit sparetheair.org or sign up for text alerts by texting “START” to 817-57.
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Join us in celebrating the end of another beautiful summer here in Half Moon Bay - and with … Read moreSummer's End Music Festival
Dirk van Ulden said:
One could call the ultra-left Democrats an ethnicity. Perhaps they can request statehood, totally consistent with UN guidelines.
Dirk van Ulden said:
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