A common question is “How do I know when I can use my chimney?” We all hear talk about “No Burn Days,” but we might not know when these days are. If you live in the San Joaquin Valley, a loose guideline is that you need to check starting in November and ending in February.
If you are in the San Joaquin Valley (including the Sacramento area), you can check out http://sparetheair.com/ or call 1-877-NOBURN-5 (1-877-662-8765) to get the daily burn status.
If you are closer to the Bay Area, you will want to visit http://www.sparetheair.org
Burning safe is a common goal for all of us that use our chimneys. If you live in an area that does not get natural gas service or your chimney is your only source of heat, you can file for an exemption in your county and burn wood freely.