Wildfire Air Quality Response Program

Learn about the Wildfire Air Quality Response Program, which was developed by the Air District to help mitigate the air quality effects of wildfires in the Bay Area.  

The Air District’s Wildfire Air Quality Response Program was created to guide the agency’s efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future wildfires, and to ensure that health-protective measures and strategies are in place in the Bay Area during wildfire smoke events. The program has several components, all of which come together to create the comprehensive Wildfire Response Program for the Bay Area.

Community Resources and Information

A Wildfire Safety Tips web page has been developed to guide the public about what to do and where to go during a wildfire. The Air District has partnered with city officials and county health officers to create a comprehensive resource page designed to assist the public in preparing for and protecting their health during wildfire events. This page also contains links to further air quality resources, such as online school health guidance for teachers, parents, and students.

Rule Development

In November 2019, the Air District adopted amendments to Regulation 5: Open Burning and Regulation 6: Rule 3: Wood-Burning Devices

The amendments to Regulation 5 complement statewide efforts to prevent catastrophic wildfires through prescribed burning by exempting public agencies from paying open burning fees when conducting prescribed burns for the purpose of wildfire prevention. The amendments to Rule 6-3 aim to further protect public health when wildfire smoke affects air quality in the Bay Area by allowing the Air District to ban wood burning year-round on days when a Spare the Air Alert is called because particulate matter is expected to exceed unhealthy levels.

The Air District continues to explore other rule development efforts to plan and prepare for future emergencies and disasters, including wildfire events.

Air Filtration Grants and Incentives

The Air District has developed and continues to evaluate opportunities for reducing health impacts from wildfire smoke and improving health equity across the Bay Area. The Air District’s Clean Air Filtration Program aims to provide access to high-efficiency air filtration to help those who are most vulnerable to wildfire smoke and air pollution.  

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Communications
General Information

415.749.4900

Meteorology & Measurements
Air Monitoring

415.749.4985

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Spare the Air Status

Last Updated: 6/19/2019