UPDATE: This burn ban was lifted at 2pm on December 13, 2018.
Once again, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has issued a Stage 1 burn ban in Snohomish County including Mukilteo effective at 2PM today, December 12, 2017. This ban remains in effect until further notice.
The purpose of the ban was to reduce the amount of pollution that is creating unhealthy air, and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency will continue to monitor the situation. A cold front is expected late Thursday night or early Friday morning to bring us back to our more typical GOOD air quality for the weekend and into early next week.
During a Stage 1 burn ban:
- No burning is allowed in wood-burning fireplaces, uncertified wood stoves or fireplace inserts. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled.
- The only exception is if the homeowner has a previously approved ‘No Other Adequate Source of Heat’ exemption from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
- No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
- Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.
It is OK to use natural gas and propane stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.
The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors, especially when exercising. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to people with lung and heart problems, people with diabetes, children, and older adults (over age 65).
Visit pscleanair.org/burnban to view the current burn ban status.
