Oct. 31, 2024. Reno/Sparks, Nev. – Daily Burn Code updates start Friday Nov. 1, 2024, and end on Feb. 28, 2025. These updates help residents determine if they are allowed to use a wood-burning fireplace, stove or other device. Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) Air Quality Management Division (AQMD) encourages people to “Keep It Clean – Know The Code.”
Sign up for Washoe County Air Quality updates here.
Residents can find Green (allowed), Yellow (discouraged) or Red (prohibited) Burn Code updates daily on our website OurCleanAir.com or by calling 775-785-4110. The Burn Code can also be found on NNPH social media (X, Facebook, Instagram). A green code will be pinned on each platform, unless it changes to Yellow or Red.
The Burn Code applies to houses with a fireplace, wood stove, pellet stove or any other wood-burning device in specific ZIP codes from Washoe Valley extending up to, and including, Silver Knolls. AQMD can exempt households where the wood-burning device is the only source of heat. For more information about this exemption, call 775-784-7200.
Last year, the Burn Code was in place for 121 days – of those days, 118 were Green and 3 were Yellow. The last Red Burn Code, when burning was prohibited, was issued on Dec. 29, 2017.
“The Burn Code has been around for 35 years leading to better air quality outcomes in Washoe County,” said District Health Officer Dr. Chad Kingsley. “Our AQMD team puts in a lot of hard work to develop and maintain programs to reduce air quality dangers. We ask that residents pay close attention to these daily updates to protect our community members who are vulnerable to poor air quality conditions.”
Wood-burning in fireplaces and wood stoves during winter months accounts for around 40 percent of wintertime fine particulate matter in the Truckee Meadows. The harmful emissions can end up in lungs and pass into the blood stream. This can cause both respiratory and cardiovascular health problems. Long term exposure to wood smoke can lead to decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, irregular heartbeat, and heart attacks. It can also lead to premature death in people with heart or lung disease. Postmenopausal people can be more prone to heart and vascular disease.
Learn more about the Burn Code Here
AQMD implements clean air solutions that protect the quality of life for the citizens of Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County. This is done through community partnerships along with programs and services such as air monitoring, permitting, compliance, planning, and public education. The AQMD is delegated authority to implement the Clean Air Act (CAA) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As part of the delegation, the AQMD must have regulations in place that demonstrate how the division plans to maintain the health based National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
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Please note the Washoe County Health District changed its name to Northern Nevada Public Health on Aug. 31, 2023. More information is here.
Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making District Board of Health. NNPH consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.