Wood Smoke Complaint Investigation

Wood smoke complaints are handled differently than the general air pollution complaints due to the sensitive nature of these complaints and the large volume of these complaints. Air District Inspectors are not dispatched to meet with the complainant. Whenever a wood smoke complaint is reported, it initiates the following Air District response:

• The complaint information provided places the address in our wood smoke complaint system to help direct wood smoke investigations. At a minimum, information about the wood smoke regulation and instructions how to comply will be mailed to the address.
• Once in our wood smoke complaint system, Air District Inspectors will routinely conduct wood smoke investigations throughout the Bay Area, generally where there are high numbers of wood smoke recorded and/or high rates of wood burning.
• Due to the sensitive nature of wood smoke complaints, Air District inspectors are not dispatched directly to meet with a complainant.
• When an Air District Inspector documents a violation, the violator will first be issued a warning letter giving the alleged violator an opportunity to correct the violation.
• Any subsequent violations observed by inspection staff at the address, may result in citation(s) and financial penalties.
• Second-time violations are subject to a $400.00 penalty. Subsequent violations will result in increasing penalty amounts.