4 Key Tips For A Healthy Woodfire

Nothing feels better on a cool fall night than a warm, crackling woodfire. But while a well-built fire is comforting, it can also be harmful to your health.

“Wood smoke contains fine particulate pollution and numerous air toxics, which can be harmful to public health, especially to those suffering from asthma and other respiratory disorders,” Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Karen Hacker said in a release. “In addition, wood smoke can create a nuisance or even a health hazard for a neighbor.”

Officials say that the best way to minimize emissions from a fire is to have no fire at all. But they also have a few tips to keep your fire as clean as possible.

• Use clean fuel such as natural gas or propane.
• Only burn clean, dry, wood – never burn garbage, debris or yard waste such as leaves.
• Keep the fire at least 15 feet away from the nearest structure, inhabited area, roadway or property line. Under certain circumstances, the distance may have to be greater to prevent smoke and odor emissions from creating a public nuisance.
• Tend the fire at all times.

Health officials suggest that people check with their municipality to see whether any local ordinance may prohibit or regulate the use of outdoor wood-burning units in their community.

The County is currently making changes to air quality regulations related to “open burning,” which is any fire from which air contaminants pass directly into the open air without passing through a flue, such as with a campfire. The changes stop residents from burning anything besides clean wood or natural gas, among other provisions.

Complaints about excessive smoke and odor emissions from wood-burning equipment may be reported to the Health Department by calling412-687-ACHD. You can find more tips for a clean fire at www.achd.net/air/burning/.