8th Straight Winter Spare-the-Air Day Friday, Bay Area Nears Record

Another Winter Spare the Air alert has been issued for Friday in the Bay Area, which is nearing last year's record of 11 consecutive Spare the Air days, air quality officials said today.

The alert for Friday marks the eighth Winter Spare the Air day in a row, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

"We need a weather system to come into the area and clean out this dirty air, but unfortunately for now, it doesn't look like we've got one on the horizon," BAAQMD executive officer Jack Broadbent said in a statement.

Current weather conditions are expected to persist through the weekend or longer, air district officials said.

On days when alerts are issued, the use of fireplaces, woodstoves, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits or any other means of burning wood or other solid fuels is prohibited. Residences that do not have permanently installed gas or electric heating devices can apply for an exemption.

First-time offenders face a $100 fine, with the option of attending a wood smoke awareness online or by mail in lieu of payment. Fines for subsequent offenses start at $500.

For more information, people can call the district's hotline at (877) 4-NO-BURN or visit its website at www.sparetheair.org.

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