Wood Burning Discouraged In Mill Valley Over The Holiday

MILL VALLEY, CA — Though there is a chill in the air, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is asking Mill Valley residents not to burn wood Wednesday night or on Thanksgiving.

The district refrained from issuing a Spare the Air alert, but officials warned that wood-burning stoves and fireplaces could cause air pollution to rise to unhealthy levels. They significantly impact pollution in specific neighborhoods as well as indoor air quality.

Wood smoke is the major source of air pollution in the region during the winter and can be especially harmful to children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions.

"We are asking the public to help keep air pollution low this Thanksgiving by doing one significant thing -- not burning wood indoors or outdoors," air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said. "With the help of Bay Area residents, we can all have clean and healthy air to breathe over the holiday."

Bay City News and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.