FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 29, 2000
CONTACTS:
Ursula Kramer, Director, Division of Air Quality, (801) 536-4102
Carol Sisco, DEQ Public Information, (801) 536-4484
The winter pollution season ends today with clear blue skies. No red-burn days, which prohibit wood burning on the most polluted days, were called during the four-month season for the second year in a row. Just one cautionary yellow-burn day was called on New Year’s Eve.
“We had a bit of an inversion spell between Christmas and New Years but it never got bad,” said Air Monitoring Center Manager Bob Dalley. “It started clearing out Jan. 1, and we’ve had green-sailing ever since.”
Most of the good air can be attributed to a mild winter, said Air Quality Director Ursula Kramer. But pollution also has been diminished because of better pollution controls on both industry and cars. Vehicle inspections also reduce more pollutants than they used to.
Last year was even better with no red or yellow days. During the program’s first year there were 23 red burn days in Utah County and 16 in Salt Lake and Davis counties. Since then the greatest number has been seven.
Particulate is the primary winter pollutant. The state’s winter program asks residents to avoid wood burning on the worst days to reduce soot and dust that are components of particulate. Wood burning conditions are identified as red, yellow or green depending upon pollution levels.