(From Press Release) – Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District’s (YSAQMD) yearly program ‘Don’t Light Tonight’ ran from November 2016 through February 2017 with 11 advisories asking residents to refrain from burning wood on days when moderate to high Air Quality Index levels were observed.
Compared to the 2015-2016 winter season which had 20 advisories, an unusually wet winter this past year allowed pollutants to be more easily dispersed into the atmosphere and resulted in clean air quality on many days.
Though this past season had fewer advisories, particle pollution from wood smoke is still an issue and especially harmful to a number of people, including young children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with respiratory illnesses, such as COPD or asthma.
PM2.5 is one of many pollutants in wood smoke and is very harmful to human health because its smaller size, about thirty times thinner than a strand of hair, can easily bypass the human body’s natural defenses and travel to the lungs causing short term health effects like coughing and sneezing and worsen existing conditions such as asthma and heart disease.
To help educate and inform residents about the harmful effects of wood smoke during the winter, YSAQMD provides ‘Don’t Light Tonight’ alerts, resources and information on how everyone can reduce their emissions and improve the air quality in their neighborhood and community.
To learn more about the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, including signing up for air quality alerts and their monthly newsletter, visit: www.ysaqmd.org. Connect with YSAQMD on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/YoloSolanoAir or on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/YoloSolanoAir
