Woodburning and You
Burning wood in a fireplace, chiminea or fire pit provides a warm cozy gathering place for families and friends during the holiday season. It also provides the perfect conditions for increased air pollution that can harm the ones you love. Maricopa County has higher levels of air pollution caused by woodburning smoke, especially during the winter months. This puts the County at risk of not meeting federal health standards. If Maricopa County is unable to meet these standards, burdensome and costly federal regulations and stricter rules that could also mean higher fines.
Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) is asking Maricopa County residents and businesses to ‘Burn Cleaner, Burn Better.’ Instead of burning wood, you can Burn Cleaner, Burn Better and eliminate all particulate matter 2.5 (PM-2.5 or smoke) emissions by converting your wood burning fireplace to natural gas. Other cleaner options include fireplace retrofit, certified wood stoves, pellet stoves, gas and/or electric fireplaces.
Help protect the health of our residents, don’t burn wood when it is a No Burn Day. If you don’t know if it’s a No Burn Day, there are a number of resources available to you on this page. To learn the latest air quality forecast and No Burn Day status, you can download the Clean Air Mobile App, sign up for email or text alerts, visit CleanAirMakeMore.com each day or call 602-506-6400.
Please note: Certain outdoor fires are prohibited in parts of Maricopa County from May 1 through September 30, including fires used to clear land, branding of animals and fires for recreational use. Other types of fires are allowed unless a restricted burn period has been declared.
Help keep our air clean and our neighbors healthy. Burn Cleaner, Burn Better and don’t burn wood or wax logs on a No Burn Day.
Health Effects of Wood Smoke
Both short- and long-term exposures to particle pollution from wood smoke has been linked to a variety of health effects.
Short-term exposures to particles can aggravate lung disease, causing asthma attacks and acute bronchitis and may also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. Long-term exposures (months or years) have been associated with problems such as reduced lung function and the development of chronic bronchitis and even premature death. Some studies also suggest that long-term PM 2.5 exposures may be linked to cancer and to harmful developmental and reproductive effects, such as infant mortality and low birth weight.
Spread the Word
Want to spread the word to help more Maricopa County residents know when it’s a No Burn Day? Download campaign social media graphics from the toolkit and share information on your Facebook and Twitter, add ‘No Burn’ widgets to your website, and, most importantly, don’t burn wood on a No Burn Day.
