Resources Land managers use the web portal to register prescribed fires, request burn windows, and report emissions Residential general burning by private citizens is addressed in a different program 2021 Smoke Program Annual Report Who Participates Federal and state land managers conducting prescribed fire in Utah. Projects on private and municipal land that meet the …
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Utah residents take wood-burning bans seriously and it’s paying off. A recent study found that wood-burning’s contribution to air pollution in Utah has declined by a factor of 4 to 5 over the past 10 years.
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This week’s blog is from 2015 and highlights the popular woodstove exchange program. Last week, The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) released the 2020 registration schedule for the overwhelmingly popular grant program to convert operating wood-burning fireplaces to cleaner-burning natural gas or electric. Online registration will take place across the Wasatch Front and Cache …
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Wood burning contributes to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in the Wasatch Front, and reducing the use of wood burning during pollution episodes has been the focus of many policy decisions. This study looks at patterns of temperature, heat deficit, and day of the week along with markers of woodsmoke and mandatory no-burn days, to try and understand if public awareness and policy efforts have been effective in reducing wood burning during pollution events.
The Wood-Burn Program is designed to prevent particle pollution by restricting or banning wood burning during inversion periods.
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Researchers from across the state gathered at Utah State University on March 28 for the third annual Air Quality: Science for Solutions conference. Jesse Glisson, along with researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah and the Division of Air Quality, presented new research into understanding the contribution of woodsmoke to PM2.5 levels.
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The Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) reminds residents that wood-burning restrictions go into effect November 1, 2018, and urges Utahns to use online and mobile tools to monitor daily PM2.5 levels.
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The University of Utah Department of Chemical Engineering will collaborate with UDAQ to estimate the contributions of wood burning to wintertime PM2.5 levels using aethalometer data from four locations and from mobile aethalometer measurements. The goal of this study is to identify and understand levels of wood burning and compliance with wood-burning restrictions during the winter of 2018/2019.
By Scott Baird The 2018 Utah Legislature kicks off its 45-day session today, marking the start of an exciting and occasionally hectic time for all of us at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Although we are neutral players in the legislative process, our directors and scientists are available 24/7 to answer questions, provide …
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By DEQ Communications Office Utah kicked off its winter inversion season in full force in early December with gunky air that persisted for 10 straight days. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality took to its Facebook page to provide residents with regular updates, tips for reducing emissions, and links to our air-quality monitoring data. We’ve …
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By Donna Kemp Spangler Utah’s winter chill is creeping upon us, and with that comes the infamous inversions, that for perhaps 10 terrible days of the year have downright frightful and unhealthy air quality. (And no, Phil, it’s not Smaug, it’s smog. ) We know we can’t completely prevent them. It is partly an act …
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By Bailey Toolson, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Our mission at UCAIR is to make it easier for individuals, businesses, and communities to make changes that improve our air. …
Read MoreApril 10, 2017 By Nancy Daher More likely than not, you’ve owned a wood-burning appliance and used it to heat your home during cold, wintry nights. What you might not know, however, is that burning wood emits more pollution in the air than other heating devices. Smoke from residential wood heaters contains toxic pollutants and …
Read MoreBy Donna Kemp Spangler You don’t have to be an air quality expert to know that Utah’s mountain-and-valley topography creates wintertime inversions and summertime smog. It’s a matter of atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, and source emissions that are a recipe for unhealthy air. As one air scientist is fond of saying, “What goes out your tailpipe …
Read MoreBy Donna Spangler I’ll admit there was a time when I enjoyed curling up on my comfy couch with a crackling blaze burning in our wood-burning stove. That was 10 years ago, when my husband and I bought a historic house that featured a family room with a wood-burning stove. We enjoyed the evenings we …
Read MoreBy Bo Call A cold winter night, a fire burning in the fireplace—what could be better? Well, that wood fire isn’t just filling your house with holiday cheer; it’s also filling it with pollutants that can hurt you. Most people don’t realize that the inviting smell of wood smoke comes along with some pretty hazardous …
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