Heat Wave Prompts Another 'Spare the Air' Alert in Menlo Park

BAY AREA, CA – The Bay Area's intense heat wave prompted regional air quality officials Monday to issue another Spare the Air smog alert for Tuesday.

It's the third consecutive day of smog alerts from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

"This latest heat wave is converting car exhaust from our crowded highways into unhealthy smog," air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said in a statement. "Unless we reduce the number of cars on roads we will
continue to experience unhealthy air when temperatures rise."

People are encouraged to carpool, bike, walk or take public transportation to work and school instead of driving alone. Also, people should exercise outdoors only during the early morning hours when smog
concentrations are lowest.

There is no wood-burning ban in place and no free public transportation trips are being offered.

This is the 25th time this season that the air district has issued a Spare the Air alert, tying a record set in 1996, according to air district officials.

– By Bay City News Service / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone