Wood Smoke and Air Quality in Ravalli County

On Saturday, December 1, open burning throughout the state will be prohibited until March 1, 2008. But because of recent weather events and poor air dispersion in the Bitterroot Valley, no one should be conducting open burns this week in Ravalli County.

December, January and February are typically characterized by poor air dispersion and ventilation. So if you have a wood waste pile that’s ready to be burned, it’s best to leave it until spring when conditions are more favorable for burning.

Ravalli County’s worsening air quality

Because of our valley’s growing population and the accompanying increase in vehicles and wood stoves, our air quality is getting worse. In fact, Ravalli is one of three counties in the state – along with Lincoln and Missoula – that will receive the dubious distinction of being named a “non-attainment area” by the Environmental Protection Agency. Six times in the last two years the particulate matter in our air exceeded the 24-hour standard set by the EPA – four times in December 2005 and twice in December 2006. (Measurements actually repeatedly exceeded the standard during last summer’s wildfires, but that data is not considered since it is beyond our control).

Based on samples taken in Hamilton in 2006 and 2007 and analyzed by the University of Montana – and excluding data collected during the wildfires – the major source of pollutants in our air is residential wood combustion (84 percent) with only 2 percent coming from automobile emissions. Ammonium nitrate contributed 13 percent to the pollutants.

Such sampling will continue for the remainder of this year and in 2008, but it’s clear that we have an air quality problem and that wood smoke is the lion’s share of the problem.

Reducing the wood smoke in our air

So what can citizens do to help alleviate our pollution problem?  The main thing is to reduce the use of wood stoves and to burn in a way that produces the least amount of particulate matter – especially during inversions, when air quality is at its worst.

Switching to natural gas, propane and electric heaters is a good long-term goal, but we recognize that the rising cost of these energy sources makes such a transition difficult. Here are a few suggestions to help woodstove users conserve energy and burn less fuel:

(1)   Take advantage of energy programs offered by Ravalli County Electric and Northwest Energy to help customers use less fuel. Both offer free home energy check-ups in which experts make recommendations on insulation, energy-efficient doors and windows, etc.

(2)   Upgrade to an EPA-certified woodstove or other clean burning device. A clean-burning stove emits far less particle pollution – 70 percent less on average – than older, less-efficient stoves. They also use approximately 30 percent less wood.

(3)   Choose the right firewood. Hardwoods are best. Regardless, never burn trash or treated wood which can emit toxic air pollutants.

(4)   Season all firewood. All firewood should be split, covered and aged for at least six months. Seasoned wood burns hotter, cuts fuel consumption and reduces the amount of smoke produced from a woodstove.

(5)   Choose the right stove. A stove that’s too large for a room will need to be dampered down so it doesn’t overheat the space. This can waste wood and produce excess smoke.

(6)   Clean ashes from the wood stove. Excess ashes can clog a stove’s intake vents, reducing its efficiency.

(7)   Burn small, hot fires. These fires provide the maximum in heat, while cutting fuel consumption and reducing pollution.

(8)   Don’t let the fire smolder. Reducing a stove’s air supply overnight does little for heating and can increase air pollution.

(9)   Keep your chimney or stove pipe clean. This provides a good draft for your stove and reduces the risk of a chimney fire. In general, stove pipes should be cleaned every year or after three cords of wood.

Clean air is something we take very seriously, and we hope that providing practical information on how to reduce pollution will allow citizens to take action themselves so we all can breathe easier.

For more information about Ravalli County’s air pollution problem, go to www.deq.mt.gov/AirQuality/AQinfo and click on one of three links to Ravalli County. Also, there will be a public presentation on the county’s air quality on Wednesday, December 12, at 1 p.m. at the commissioner’s meeting room at 215 South Fourth Street.

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