San JoaquinValley wood-burning rule to start Saturday

The 12th season of the San Joaquin Valley’s wintertime pollution-reduction rule is scheduled to begin Saturday, the San Joaquin Valley Air District announced Wednesday.

Check Before You Burn is a residential wood-burning restriction program designed to reduce particulate matter when air quality is forecast to deteriorate. According to air district officials, the program this season will incorporate a new declaration level that will allow residents to use their registered clean-burning devices more frequently than before.

The declarations will now be either “No Restrictions, Burning Discouraged,” “No Burning Unless Registered” or “No Burning.” According to a news release, to be allowed to burn during days when the status is “No Burning Unless Registered,” residents must register their emissions-compliant wood-burning devices with the district. There is no fee to register during the interim program. Residents can visit www.valleyair.org/CBYBregistration to register their device.

When burning is prohibited, no wood-burning device may be used.

The Check Before You Burn season runs through February.

The district also announced it will be offering more money to change out older heating units with newer devices that meet current Environmental Protection Agency standards. The district’s Burn Cleaner fireplace and wood stove change-out program offers $1,500 to eligible applicants and $2,500 to applicants who qualify for the low-income component. Another $500 is available to all applicants for installation costs on a gas device.

For more information on the Burn Cleaner program, see www.valleyair.org/Rule4901.

This story was originally published October 29, 2014 at 6:51 PM with the headline "San JoaquinValley wood-burning rule to start Saturday."