Complaints of ‘No Burn Day’ violators hits record levels in Maricopa County
Since November 1, the Maricopa County Air Quality Department says there have been 15 no burn days.
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — While Wednesday is not a ‘No Burn Day,’ Maricopa County Air Quality Department officials say there has been a record number this season. There has also been a record number of complaints from the community.
Air quality officials will declare no burn days because of poor air quality. That means you can’t burn wood in your fireplace or your backyard. So what happens if someone isn’t following the rules?
Ari Halpert with the department says it does have a burn patrol, and inspectors will respond to your complaints. “When we receive a call, our inspectors patrol the area,” Halpert recently told Arizona’s Family. “They determine where the smoke is coming from. Is it wood burning or not?”
Halpert says that if they can verify if the suspect is burning wood when they shouldn’t be, the department sends out a warning letter.
If someone gets a warning letter and continues to break the rules, Halpert says they could get penalized and have to pay a fee, which starts at $50 and then goes up.
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Since Nov. 1, Maricopa County has had 15 no burn days. Halpert says that is a record number. More than 400 complaints were made, and 56 citations were issued through Jan. 26.
“We’re all members of the community,” Halpert said. “So it’s our responsibility and our duty to help protect the air we breathe.”
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