Don't light that fire Don't light that fire (November 26, 2004)

Fireplaces, vehicle trips cause deadly pollution
by Dolores Fox Ciardelli

A daily check on air quality forecasts in the Bay Area shows that Pleasanton - which is in the Eastern District - has the worst air quality.

On bulletins from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, while the North Counties; South Central Bay; Coast and Central Bay; and Santa Clara Valley usually have a "good" forecast, the Eastern District often is predicted "moderate."

"Oftentimes the pollutants that occur in San Francisco and the western part of Alameda County blow into the Pleasanton area because of prevailing winds that come from the Pacific Ocean," said Luna Salaver, public information officer for the air district.

"Because it is in a valley, the surrounding hills trap the pollutants. On windless days the air pollutants collect and stagnate and then you have higher concentrations of air pollution."

She said there are two things people can do to help: Don't burn wood in their fireplaces, and reduce unnecessary driving.

"A lot has to do with folks understanding how inefficient traditional fireplaces are, and how polluting," Salaver said. "We do encourage people to switch over to natural gas. And if people are going to go holiday shopping they should try to use public transit or carpool and definitely link their errands in one trip."

Although smoke streaming out of a chimney may have a comforting association, it is just as polluting as smoke from a wildfire, she noted. In mid-October when the Rumsey Fire north of Lake Berryessa burned through 34,000 acres of oak trees, brush and dry grass, the smoke blanketed the Bay Area and people were warned to stay indoors, and many sports practices were canceled. "I had an asthma attack in San Francisco," Salaver said.

"Fires are very bad for asthmatics and also senior citizens," she said. "Studies show that individuals older than 55 are impacted because small particles prevent their hearts' ability to get oxygen.

"That makes the heart work harder when there are particles in the air you're breathing," she continued. "We've found there is a higher risk of lung- and heart-related deaths on nights when the particles reach higher concentrations."

Children are also adversely affected because they have immature lungs and higher respiratory rates than adults, according to an air district press release.

For current readings and additional air quality information, visit www.SpareTheAir.org. For a free Woodburning Handbook, call (800) HelpAir (435-7247) or visit the Web site.

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