WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Burn ban, air-quality alerts lifted; maybe some rain

As predicted, the air is clearing. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has lifted the burn ban; the National Weather Service no longer has an air-quality alert in effect. And the latest forecast has a chance of showers overnight tonight, more of a chance tomorrow night.

8 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Burn ban, air-quality alerts lifted; maybe some rain"

  • flimflam August 11, 2017 (1:39 pm)

    i am not understanding the big rush to lift the burn bans. is it because its the weekend? they lifted the last one last weekend I recall.

  • Joan August 11, 2017 (2:35 pm)

    I don’t understand it either. Still plenty of haze. When I can see the mountains, I’ll know the air quality is “better!”

  • Mark August 11, 2017 (4:24 pm)

    A good rain will cleanse the air; and likely create work for auto body repair facilities.  

  • CAM August 11, 2017 (6:23 pm)

    Laws are written with bright line standards because they have to be to be enforceable. For example, an 18 yr old can legally get married. The government isn’t telling every 18 yr old that they should get married they are merely saying it can’t happen earlier (I might be wrong on the minimum age in WA but I hope not). In the same way, a burn ban is put in effect when the air quality falls below a certain standard (based on a quick skim it appears that this is anything below Moderate on the AQI). As soon as the air quality reaches a moderate level again the government can no longer enforce a ban. They aren’t telling you to burn things, they just can’t tell you not to. If there was adequate support for it the standard would be higher but I’m guessing any effort to change it to a more strict standard would be met with a rapid lawsuit from some group of people who don’t even live in the Puget Sound. 

  • JoB August 11, 2017 (7:19 pm)

    i hope for a good rain. all of this smoke has finally given me a bloody nose as well as a non-stop headache.

  • Erithan August 12, 2017 (1:56 pm)

    Don’t burn bans usually coincide with super dry conditions as well? Sorta confused why only air quality is mentioned for these.(genuine question, and sorry if I missed it migraines, yay☹️)

    • WSB August 12, 2017 (2:12 pm)

      This was strictly an air-quality burn ban. There are fire-safety burn bans in some areas, but this was called for qir quality.

      • Erithan August 12, 2017 (4:55 pm)

        Thank you, did not know they were seperate.😊

Sorry, comment time is over.