Because of cold weather and rising air pollution, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency announced Thursday it is changing Pierce County’s burn ban back to the more restrictive Stage 2 until further notice.
“Pollution levels in Pierce County spiked overnight and reached unhealthy for sensitive groups,” said Phil Swartzendruber, agency forecaster. “We expect cold, stagnant conditions for at least the next few days, so we are raising the ban to Stage 2 to protect Pierce County communities from worsening air quality.”
The agency lowered the ban to Stage 1 Tuesday.
Under a Stage 2 ban, no burning is allowed in wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves, fireplace inserts or pellet stoves. The only exception is if a wood stove is the only adequate source of heat for a home. Outdoor fires also are prohibited.
stacia.glenn@ thenewstribune.com
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.