On Wednesday, I got an automated text from the Puget Sound Clean Air organization to alert that the status of the burn ban is at Stage 1. This means no outdoor burning of any kind, no bbq with briquettes, no open flame etc. Funny thing is though EPA Approved stuff is ok to burn in but hardly seems likely that anyone would want to right now. (Read on) This ban has been brought on by the forest fires of Canada just North of western Washington. There have been at least 20 fires contributing to the haze here which is responsible for the moderate air quality which has spurred the ban. Also off shore winds have slowed so a southerly wind has not been present so much as its from the north. Combined with a weekend that is to be in the mid 90's and high 80's/lower 90's throughout the week, they are upholding the ban until air quality improves. Noting the weather, I wouldn't be surprised if a burn ban due to dry conditions follows suit. The good thing is that I have seen less evidence of small fires on the highway but that's a small figure, likely I haven't seen what is happening widespread. In light of this we were supposed to have 100°F yesterday and today is likely to be similar but the temperatures have stayed lower than they report them to be as the smoke haze provides a shield so temps are about 2-5 degrees cooler. Anyone else dealing with burn bans right now? I didn't look up a thread on this thoroughly so let me know if there is a current running one.
It's common in the summer anyways. The haze has completely blotted out my mountain view. Comparison: Normal view Now The other picture is zoomed but Mount Rainier disappeared quickly. It was just like the day after the 4th for a couple days now.
News last night said there's 136 fires burning in B.C. The air quality is crap and a bbq or a few sticks burned in a patio fire pit aren't going to matter. My guess is that PSCAA is following a black and white policy even though it's pointless.
I may have cooked in my pellet grill last night. Stupid f'ing PSCAA should be shut down anyway. Complete morons running that place. The firehose of smoke filling the Puget sound lowlands from Canada is so huge that the spatter of smoke from BBQs of actual citizens makes no difference.
Oh wow I didn't realize it was that many but that number was when I read about it. But perhaps my source was wrong! Thanks for the info! Its black and white yes, I just wonder that if people do decide to do such fires or the like when it's justified. I wouldn't wanna cook inside for that matter that it would be too late to cool down the house until it gets past 10 pm. But then anyone risks getting a fine if anything conflagrant comes out of it or not. Thing is that 3 different organizations decide on the bans, PSCCA, DNR and then the local county fire marshal. Their policies are really just a guide but there is more reason to stop burning when its this dry out. Its not limiting but I certainly don't want someone elses fire be the reason for an entire neighborhood going up. Precautionary versus Suppressing seems to help first off.
PSCAA only regulates burning based on air quality. DNR and local fire districts are focused on wildfire risk. I'm sure PSCAA is following policies that initiate burn bans when air quality reaches certain levels. During the winter, when emissions from wood stoves are a significant contributor, it makes sense. But now, when the smoke is from huge forest fires north of the border, it's just silly.
Well they just mean also that open flame in this case as well but it follows a a set of guidelines even though there are fires that are coming from a source NOT in WA. I'd feel better if I had a gas grill for two reasons in this light: avoid a fine and above all control of my fire. Controlling my fire with just allow me to burn less than I would be as if one were burning charcoal. Not from an environmental perspective but rather a safety one. Its just damm dry here. Last week I had built a bbq fire, used the chimney and set it down, it burned a section of grass just from being hot. No actual fire ignited the grass. I just want to know what has you in opposition of the PSCCA. What about the people that work there that makes it moronic? You're informing someone who is less aware of the situation.
Right they did typically say that burn bans from this group often happen with still air during the winter or stagnant. But this doesn't limit their decision to just this situation.
This is not a fire safety burn ban. Sure, it's dry but not so dry that they banned burning for safety. Two separate issues: Pollution and fire safety. The PSCAA is a completely moronic agency filled with complete idiots. They are biased, liberal, environmental extremist, urbanite, anti woodburning commies. I especially dislike them in the winter during air quality burn bans when they measure air quality way down in the urban centers and then ban burning in entire counties which extend all the way up to the top of the cascades. The air quality monitors that had been placed up here at high altitudes always showed clean air and that didn't help their alarmist agenda so they closed those stations. Basically, they lie about air quality and ban burning on a county wide basis. The next lame thing about the PSCAA is the 1000$ ban for violating a burn ban. Who thinks that that is reasonable? 1000$? There is more about this crooked agency that makes me dislike them but it is more details. I wish they would go away or stick to dealing with industrial pollution. Really, this amount of smoke in the winter would have triggered a stage 2 ban so all burning is banned. Not sure why they stopped at stage 1. I wish they would use stage 1 bans more often in the winter to prevent the need for stage 2 bans. The stage 1 people are fireplaces and non-epa stoves, those things make a lot more pollution than those of us using state of the art burners. Nobody wants pollution but lets be fair and reasonable. Stick to the data.
Tell that to EPA and then consider county blocking. City limits to other communities. I feel you in this sense, I just wanted to be informed and this helps a lot to make the picture big. On the part of winter I agree with you on the smoke quality at this time would have shut down everything but that's when No Wind is involved as its been explained to me. All stagnant air. This is from the north but now it seems to have slowed down dramatically.
Hey Dennis no argument here I was merely confirming that I agreed with Highbeam that an organization is getting a bit bossy. when a large county is affected (several actually) yet the disparity between counties and towns far outside the city limits have great air quality while still shutting down in times like this, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I appreciate his candor about it as the rulings are quite unfair. Gives me a perspective of why people don't find it justifiable so I can hear more sides to the story. Not dissing his response at all but I actually stopped short of my response last night so if it seems off kilter, it just got dropped at that time. I also appreciate blacktail's input as well, we live here so its a discussion for the PNW folks as well. Thanks for your advice I don't think this got out of hand though.
No, not out of hand but don't want it to be either. It's always best if we can stop something before it gets nasty or moderators have to step in.
True.I do not want this to get out of hand but as you can see a fire ban is a touchy subject. Opinions are going to be vented. What I wish as being logical is to have a constructive discussion. The local perspective is valued as I live within about 1-2 hours between these guys so it helps knowing who knows what has been going on both past and present.
The burn ban is for air quality. Combo of still air, every day pollution /particulates with the extra load from Canada. In the news here was 120+ fires, 20 of them major fires. Hope you all get more usual westerlies back this weekend. We've gotten some spectacular sunsets here from fires/smoke in Canada. Smelled it too. I'm always very thankful I don't struggle with asthma like a sister of mine does.
As expected, the marine push came back and blew the Canadian smoke away. The air quality ban is lifted. First ever such ban in the summer.
And I had a fire last night. They do have burn bans that are subject for just recreational fires. No brush burning or etc but this is typical and I wanted to put this in the discussions before but realized that it's dependent on location. Pierce County and Kitsap did theirs july 15th. No surprise but I wanted to make sure that I covered this as this was what I meant by the other part of the burn ban separate from the PSCCA's. Beautiful sun rise this morning though.
