Monday, July 29, 2013

7/29/2013 EPA Continues Burn Ban for Yakama Reservation

(Seattle, Wash. – July 29,2013)  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 will continue a burn ban on all outdoor burning on the Yakama Reservation through Wednesday, July 31st at 12 PM due to the impact of smoke from wildfires.  This smoke has caused monitor readings to approach and at time exceed the unhealthy level for sensitive groups. Weather patterns and expectations for control of these wild fires would indicate that conditions will remain about the same through Wednesday.  Therefore this burn ban will be in place through till Wednesday, July 31st  when the situation will be re-evaluated.
The burn ban applies to all outdoor and agricultural burning, including camping and recreational fires within reservation boundaries.   Ceremonial and traditional fires are exempt from the outdoor burn ban.

EPA also requests that reservation residents reduce all sources of air pollution, including excess driving and idling of vehicles, and the use of woodstoves and fireplaces, unless it is your only source of heat.

Air pollution can have significant health impacts.  Cooperation from the community will help people who are at risk during this period.  Those most at risk are children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with difficulty breathing and with heart and lung problems.  Those at risk should avoid outdoor exercise and minimize exposure to outdoor pollution as much as possible.

Please call 1-800-424-4EPA and ask for the FARR Hotline or visit the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) website for the current burn status at www.epa.gov/r10earth/FARR.htm

Gary Olson
EPA R-10
Suite 900 ,AWT-107
1200 6th AVE
Seattle, WA 98101
206-553-0977

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