Burn ban on Christmas
Rising air pollution has prompted region-wide burn bans, effective at 5 p.m. Christmas Day.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency on Tuesday issued a Stage 1 burn ban for Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. The ban remains in effect until further notice.
“We need to keep our air healthy every day of the year, including holidays,” said Craig Kenworthy, executive director of the Clean Air Agency. “Stagnant conditions over the next few days are expected to cause pollution levels to exceed federal air quality standards and become unhealthy.”
During a Stage 1 burn ban, no burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. People should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat such as a furnace or electric baseboard heaters until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas. Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.
Sounder Christmas schedule: The Sounder commuter rail will not run on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, and Sound Transit buses will run on reduced schedules on those days. Central Link light rail will run on a Sunday schedule both days. Sounder and Sound Transit express buses will run on normal schedules on New Year’s Eve.
For more information, to go soundtransit.org/Rider-Guide/Holiday-service.
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