Residents of Columbia Valley are prohibited from burning wood indoors or outdoors for the next few days, after the Northwest Clean Air Agency issued a Stage 2 burn ban until a high-pressure weather system passes.
The ban affects the Columbia Valley Urban Growth Area in eastern Whatcom County, including the Peaceful Valley and Paradise Lake developments. The current high-pressure system is preventing wood smoke from clearing out, according to a Northwest Clean Air Agency news release.
Until the ban is lifted, community members in Columbia Valley are prohibited from indoor burning in wood-burning fireplaces, woodstoves, fireplace inserts or pellet stoves. Fires outdoors are also prohibited, including burning of yard waste, land clearing, agricultural burning, forest burning and recreational fires in fire pits.
Air quality in Columbia Valley is currently ranked moderate by the agency’s air quality center: This means there is a risk for people who are “unusually sensitive to air pollution.”
The Northwest Clean Air Agency will announce the lifting of the burn ban on its website and social media.
Violators of the burn ban can face fines or other enforcement actions.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
