Burn notice

As of Feb. 28, the burning color code season was over. The Washoe County Health District Air Quality Management Division’s Know the Code program, which advises on air quality for wood burning based on a system of colors, lasts from mid-fall to late winter. Green means that residents can light stoves, fireplaces and other wood burning activities; yellow is a “voluntary no burn” and red is a “mandatory no burn” code. This January had the highest amount of yellow code days, with December 2011 close behind.

“In particular, January’s stagnant weather conditions contributed to cold temperatures, calm winds and elevated find particulate matter concentrations,” according to a statement from the Washoe County Health District.

While the color code program is over for the time being, residents can still find out about the region’s air quality at www.ourcleanair.com. The program will start again in November.