Maricopa County's Air Quality Department is asking residents to burn less wood and skip personal fireworks through the fall and winter, kicking off its yearly "Burn Cleaner, Burn Better" campaign in a release dated Nov. 12.
The department said smoke from wood fires indoors and out, plus fireworks, adds fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, to the air. On cold nights, temperature inversions can hold that smoke near the ground and push pollution levels up, the county said.
It said breathing the particles can aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions and raise the risk of heart problems, and it named children, older adults and people with existing health conditions as the most vulnerable.
"By making simple changes, such as choosing cleaner-burning alternatives and leaving fireworks to the professionals, residents can help reduce harmful emissions and protect the health of our communities," department Director Philip McNeely said in the release.
No Burn Days
When pollution is elevated or expected to become unhealthy, the department may declare a No Burn Day, which prohibits wood burning. The county advises looking up the day's air forecast and any burn ban before lighting a fireplace or planning an outdoor fire.
Status is available through the free Clean Air mobile app, at Maricopa.gov/AQ, through the county's email and text alerts, or by phone at 602-506-6400. The release did not list penalties for violations.
The campaign page says the county is at risk of falling short of federal health standards because of wintertime wood smoke, and that missing them could bring costlier federal regulations, stricter rules and possibly higher fines. It lists gas and electric fireplaces, fireplace retrofit devices, EPA-certified wood stoves and pellet stoves as alternatives allowed on No Burn Days.
