Stagnant air, Woodstove and Slash Burning Combining for poor Air Quality

No official Advisories have been issued, but given the current weather pattern with no wind and cool temperatures, and with slash burning now beginning around the Valley, the Air Quality particulate measures in the City are quickly rising.

IMG_1492
the glow from the slash burning on the Beauforts on Monday November 2, 2015

Here is the current air quality data as at 10AM… just hitting the threshold (25ug/m3) for an advisory as you can see it now in red.  It will have to stay there and be predicted to stay there for a while before they issue an advisory.

Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 10.34.21 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 10.34.04 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 10.34.13 AM

That said, I would not be surprised if we see an Air Quality Advisory issued today or tomorrow at least until we get the next weather system pushing through on Thursday/Friday.

Things that contribute to this poor air quality:

  • Old Woodstoves.  If you have a non-EPA certified wood stoves you should get it replaced
  • Outdoor Burning.  It would be best not to burn outdoors at all (and it will be banned permanently within City limits starting next spring).  But if you must, then do so when it is windy, or raining, or both.
  • Slash Burning.  The same applies.

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3 thoughts on “Stagnant air, Woodstove and Slash Burning Combining for poor Air Quality

  1. “… it will be banned permanently within City limits starting next spring”?
    They ARE joking, aren’t they?

  2. “…it will be banned permanently within City limits starting next spring”
    How authoritarian. Even on one’s own property?

    1. It is actually rare these days to find places outside Vancouver Island that do *not* ban outdoor burning. Yes, on ones own property. The smoke it creates is highly detrimental to the public, and our Valley geography makes the issue even worse. If things need to be burned they should be burned in proper appliances like EPA-certified stoves that emit a tiny amount of particulate in comparison to uncontrolled outdoor burning.

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