Our 2011 Annual Report is now online and can be read here.

[January
14, 2012] Effective at 10:00 a.m. today, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is lifting the air quality burn bans issued for King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.

Agency forecasters were tracking a new weather system expected to arrive last night.  Winds from that system are now dispersing the air pollution that built up across the Puget Sound over the past week.

We appreciate the public’s cooperation with the burn ban. We encourage people to check current air quality and burn ban status before they burn. Conditions can change quickly this time of year. To check burn ban status:

1. Sign up for clean air newswhere you can:
   1. Receive e-mail notification of burn bans
   2. Follow us on Twitter/Facebook
   3. Subscribe to R.P.I.N. and EnviroFlash
2. Visit our Web site www.pscleanair.org
3. Call our burn ban InfoLine at 1-800- 595-4341

For those who heat with wood, please remember that it is always illegal to emit excess chimney smoke or to smoke out your neighbor, burn ban or not. You know you are burning properly when you do not see any smoke coming from your chimney. And burning garbage is always illegal.

For more information:

• Updated air pollution data and forecasts
• Frequently asked questions about burn bans
• How to heat efficiently and cleanly
• Sign up for clean air news

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The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is an air quality management agency serving King,  Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Created as a result of the 1967 Washington Clean Air Act, the agency protects public health by adopting and enforcing air quality regulations, educating individuals and businesses about
clean-air choices and sponsoring voluntary initiatives to improve air quality.

January 11, 2012 — To protect residents from worsening air quality, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is issuing a Stage 1 burn ban for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, effective at 4:00 p.m., January 11, 2012, until further notice.

High pressure over the Puget Sound region will bring cold temperatures and calm winds, according to Clean Air Agency forecasters. Air quality is expected to deteriorate at least through Friday, especially in communities where residential wood burning is common.

Clean Air Agency staff follow a protocol set by state law to determine when and where to issue a burn ban, and when to lift a burn ban.

During a Stage 1 burn ban:

• No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. 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 a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
• 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, propane, pellet and EPA certified wood 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).

The purpose of a burn ban is to reduce the amount of pollution that is creating unhealthy air. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation.

For more information:

• Updated air pollution data  and forecasts 
• Frequently asked questions about burn bans
• How can one tell if their wood stove is certified, and OK to use during a Stage 1 burn ban?  Age matters – if the stove is over 20 years old, it is likely uncertified and prohibited for use during a burn ban.  Uncertified wood stoves are no longer legal to sell or purchase in the State of Washington due to the significant pollution they generate. A certified stove will have an EPA label on the back.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is an air quality management agency serving King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Created as a result of the 1967 Washington Clean Air Act, the agency protects public health by adopting and enforcing air quality regulations, educating individuals and businesses about clean-air choices and sponsoring voluntary initiatives to improve air quality.

Our 2011 4th quarter newsletter is now on line!

After a major disaster many things you depend on may not be available for some time. If you relay on medications or medical services to keep you and your family healthy and safe, then you need to read this tip.

View this document

For more information on preparedness log onto www.kitsapdem.org

Engine 15 will be at Jackson Avenue and Mariners Glen area tomorrow night from 5-9pm, and Conifer Park area on Sunday night from 5-8pm.  The complete schedule can be found here.  http://skfr.org/santa-run-schedule

Decembers tip of the month is a  message that always needs repeating this time of the year.  Our region can experience power outages during the fall and winter seasons.  Are you prepared and do you know what to do or what not to do should your power be disrupted?  Read on and have a safe and peaceful holiday.

December Tip Of The Month

For more emergency preparedness facts, see our website at www.kitsapdem.org

Engine 15 will be at Park View Terrace Tonight from 5-9pm, and Hidden Creek area on Sunday night from 5-8pm.  The complete schedule can be found here.  http://skfr.org/santa-run-schedule

Over the last week SKFR personnel have responded to three auto / pedestrian accidents, all three occurred in the early evening. A safety reminder to all the citizens of the fire district is that it’s getting dark earlier and pedestrians are still active, traveling to and from work or school, shopping or exercising. Drivers should pay extra attention to driving conditions and avoid distractions while operating vehicles. Pedestrians should be aware of the decreased visibility that this time of the year brings and help drivers by dressing in bright colors or using reflective or flashing devises to help make their presence known. Pedestrians should always walk on the correct side of the road, be aware of the traffic flow around them, and cross roads at posted crosswalks whenever possible.

Please Be Safe