As cooler temperatures settle over the Central Valley, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is urging residents to help protect public health by limiting wood burning and switching to cleaner heating alternatives. The District’s Residential Wood Smoke Reduction Program officially begins Nov. 1 and runs through the end of February.

The initiative targets fine particulate pollution (PM2.5), a harmful pollutant produced by residential wood burning that can worsen air quality and pose serious health risks, especially for children, seniors, and those with respiratory conditions.

“Public health is at the heart of our mission,” said Jaime Holt, the District’s Chief Communications Officer. “Every resident can make a real difference this winter by simply choosing not to burn wood. Limiting the use of fireplaces, woodstoves, and outdoor fire pits is one of the most effective ways to improve neighborhood air quality and protect community health.”

Each day during the program, the District issues a county-specific burn status based on air quality forecasts. There are three levels: “No Burning for All,” “No Burning Unless Registered,” and “Burning Discouraged.” Residents can check their daily status at valleyair.org/burnstatus, call 1-800-SMOG INFO, or download the free “Valley Air” app. Email alerts are also available.

Natural gas heating devices are exempt from restrictions and may be used at any time. Homes without access to natural gas or that rely on wood as their sole heat source are also exempt. However, outdoor wood-burning devices like fire pits and chimineas are always subject to restrictions and cannot be registered.

To support cleaner heating options, the District offers up to $5,000 through its Fireplace & Woodstove Change-Out Program to help residents replace older, high-polluting units with electric heat pumps or natural gas inserts. More information is available at valleyair.org/change-out.

Residents with EPA-certified wood or pellet-fueled devices may register them for limited use on “No Burning Unless Registered” days by visiting valleyair.org/deviceregistration.

The Valley Air District serves eight counties: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and the Valley portion of Kern County. For more information, visit valleyair.org or contact a regional office in Fresno (559) 230-6000, Modesto (209) 557-6400, or Bakersfield (661) 392-5500.