Spokane7
58°
January 5, 2011 in City, Idaho
Burn ban lifted in Spokane
A stage-2 burn ban in effect since Monday afternoon was lifted this morning as air quality improved.
The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency said today’s snow storm was promising to scour out the layer of polluted air that developed after an arctic front brought cold and stable air to the region late last week.
Pollutants started to build on Monday and were approaching the unhealthful range for persons with breathing problems. As a result, the agency banned all indoor burning within the county’s smoke control zone, which coincides with the urban and surburban areas. Also, outdoor burning was banned.
Air quality this morning was still in the moderate range, but had improved markedly from Monday afternoon.
It was the first stage-2 ban since 1998.
The agency bypassed a less-restrictive stage-1 ban in which the use of certified stoves and fireplace inserts is still allowed.
Under both bans, homes with no other sources of heat are allowed to burn.
Returning farmland to a state of nature 
TOOBAD2 on January 05 at 11:03 a.m.
now we can stay warm again. if the govt. will let us.
misjustice on January 05 at 11:11 a.m.
Burn, baby, burn!
; )
Thoreau on January 05 at 12:47 p.m.
I wonder if cavemen had these bans.
lkn4alvrwhowntblwmycvr on January 05 at 5:49 p.m.
Burn bans can eat a fat one.
Ed Byrnes on January 05 at 10:08 p.m.
A lot of empathy for people suffering from pulmonary ailments like asthma or COPD around here, eh?
Alfredo on January 05 at 11:37 p.m.
Aww boo hoo. You were allowed to continue burning if you had no other heat source.
Silly gubmint, can’t stand anyone getting assistance with their heating bills because it is cold in their homes but cry when they tell you that you cannot contaminate our air for a few days…but you’re still warm.