Fireplaces Get Scrutiny from Smog Fighters
News that Denver plans to ban wood-burning fireplaces to cut down on its air pollution, has thrown a chill into some Southland fireplace users.
Could we be next? Will our wood-burning fireplaces vanish into the smoky mists of history along with the back-yard incinerator and the fire-breathing dragon?
Not probable in the immediate future, says Tom Eichhorn, spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District. He acknowledged that the AQMD is studying the possibility of such a ban and will issue a report in June.
But the probability of a local ban is low, he says, because our smog, unlike Denver’s, worsens during summer months when fireplaces are little used.
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