With winter’s temperature inversions that trap air pollution possibly coming soon, Tooele County residents may again hear state health officials issue no-burn days.
On such days, it is illegal for residents with more than one home heating source to burn solid fuels like wood and coal.
When fine particulate pollution rises to unhealthy levels during inversions, the Utah Division of Air Quality may issue a voluntary or mandatory no-burn day. According to the state’s air quality index, the air quality becomes unhealthy when particulate matter exceeds 35.4 micrograms per cubic meter.
The amount of particulate matter — called PM 2.5 — regularly reported by the DAQ is a 24-hour average. PM 2.5 is a mixture of dust and soot particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or less, according to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
Exposure to small particles such as PM 2.5 can affect people’s lungs and heart, because the particles can get deep into the lungs and sometimes into the bloodstream, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the National Weather Service, a winter inversion is a meteorological event when the air close to the ground is colder than the air above it. The warm air acts as a lid, trapping pollution from wood fires, vehicles and industry close to the surface. The strength and duration of inversions can be increased in valleys surrounded by mountains.
No-burn days apply to residents of Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah and Weber counties. Tooele is included on the list because Tooele Valley is currently listed as a nonattainment area for PM 2.5, meaning it falls short of the EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The national standard for PM 2.5 is 35 micrograms per cubic meter, averaged over three years.
On no-burn days, it is prohibited to use solid fuels, including: wood fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, outdoor fireplaces or fire pits, charcoal grill, smokers and coal-burning stoves.
DAQ compliance officers can fine property owners up to $299 if they’re found violating the ban, according to the DEQ.
However, a bill passed by the Utah State Legislature in March allows residents, whose only source of heat is from burning a solid fuel, to register on the state’s sole source registry. Residents had until June 1 to register.
Residences marked on the registry are excluded from no-burn days, allowing them to continue burning to heat their homes even during days of poor air quality without receiving citations from the state, according to Utah Code 19-2-107.5.
The Air Quality Index includes specific pollution measurements of Tooele Valley. Measurements are updated each hour and can be found at www.air.utah.gov.