What is Winter Spare the Air?
Winter Spare the Air is a pollution reduction program sponsored by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). On winter days, particulate matter can be a problem in the Bay Area. To protect public health, residents are asked to refrain from activities that cause pollution on these days. In addition, a new BAAQMD regulation was passed in July that makes burning wood, fire logs, or pellets illegal when a Winter Spare the Air Alert is in effect.
- Spare the Air
- Campus Transportation Options
- 511 SF Bay Trip Planner
- Bay Area Air Quality Management District
According to the new BAAQMD regulation, it is illegal to operate any wood-burning devices on Winter Spare the Air Days. The definition of wood-burning devices includes:
- wood-burning stoves or heaters
- pellet-fueled devices
- space heating or aesthetic indoor wood-burning elements
The definition of wood-burning devices does NOT include those intended exclusively for cooking food, such as wood-fired ovens or barbeques.