The Winter Spare the Air season, during which alerts prohibiting solid fuel burning may be issued, is currently in effect in the Bay Area and will continue during the holidays.

The season, which was established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), began on Nov. 1 and will continue until Feb. 28. The Winter Spare the Air alert prohibits the use of solid-fuel-burning devices, including fireplaces used for space heating or aesthetic purposes.

Homes without an alternate heating source, or without access to electricity or natural gas, are exempt from these restrictions.

Many students and families in the Paly community use fireplaces for heating or enjoyment and could be affected by the new program. Sophomore Renel Sun is one such student.

“I appreciate being able to toast marshmallows in the fireplace,” Sun said.

Fireplace enthusiasts such as Sun may have to seek alternatives this winter if air pollution levels are too high.

According to Aaron Richardson, BAAQMD Public Information Officer, the district’s policy on enforcement will not be altered during the holidays. However, he says that the policy could change as the holiday season approaches.

According to the Spare the Air program Web site, the district currently issues alerts when concentrations of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) in the Bay Area area are forecasted to exceed national standards of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.

Violators of the ban will initially receive a warning letter from the district. Repeat offenders can incur a fine of several hundred to several thousand dollars.

As of Dec. 10, five alerts have been declared this season: on Nov. 19, 24, and 25 and Dec. 7 and 10.

Based on data from the past 10 to 15 years, BAAQMD officials are anticipating about 20 alerts this year, according to Richardson.

When an alert is in place, the district dispatches 70 inspectors during the day to walk through neighborhoods and check for violations of the ban. The district also sends out some teams during the night, Richardson said.

According to Richardson, residents can also call the district to report violations. The district sends inspectors to verify such reports.

Community response to the new regulations has been positive, according to BAAQMD Communications Director Lisa Fasano.

“A willingness to comply has been found across the board,” Fasano said.

Richardson says that the community has expressed “a lot of interest” in the new regulations.

“We’ve had a lot of responses on all sides,” Richardson said.

Veronica Rodriguez, a reproduction technician in Paly’s copy room, says that the new regulations are likely to affect her.

“I use my fireplace most of the time in winter time,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez added that using the heater is too expensive and causes health problems. Nonetheless, she expresses approval for the program.

“I think that it’s a good idea because that will keep the air more healthy,” Rodriguez said.

The Winter Spare the Air Alert system was put in place by BAAQMD Regulation 6, Rule 3, which was passed at the Board of Directors meeting on July 9 of this year, according to the Spare the Air program Web site.

The Web site also notes that wood smoke from the Bay Area’s 1.4 million fireplaces makes up 33 percent of fine particulate matter on cold days. This particulate matter can have a negative health impact on Bay Area citizens.

Paly Environmental Science teacher Nicole Loomis said that the new restrictions are “reasonable,” noting that they are easier to enforce than attempts to control emissions from each individual fireplace are.

“It’s difficult to regulate all of those point sources,” Loomis said.

Loomis also said that valleys such as Silicon Valley can have an inversion layer, a layer of air that traps pollution near the ground.

Julie West, Development Manager of the American Lung Association of California, commented favorably on the new regulations.

“The ALA has been working with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for 10 years to input on [sic] putting regulations on wood burning,” West said.

According to West, air quality “has not improved significantly” over the last decade.

Randy Brooks, a representative of the National Chimney Sweep Guild, says that the new restrictions have had a negative impact on the hearth industry.

Brooks also says that it is “a bit remiss” to restrict clean-burning, EPA-certified devices instead of only targeting older installations that pollute more.

“They have taken a position that has almost criminalized the hearth and wood burning,” Brooks said. “If the real goal is to clean the air, they should exempt products that burn cleaner on non-attainment days to encourage that investment.”