While wood stove smoke is cited as the biggest cause of air quality problems in Klamath County, several hundred people have exemptions to burn on ‘red’ days…
Disabled veteran Jerry Johnson says he feels a little guilty when he fires up his wood stove during a ‘red’ wood burning advisory…
“I do, because I’m very, It’s important to me to be in an environment that’s healthy. But at the same time, we really don’t have much of a choice, because of our income.”
Klamath County Air Quality Coordinator Jim Carey notes that Johnson is one of several hundred people who have been granted an exemption by the county…
“This year, we have approximately 300, a little over 300, and that’s about average for every year.”
“Based on our income, and also on my medical situation, we were able to get approved for a variance.” Adds Johnson.
In January, stagnant air conditions and single-digit temperatures resulted in unhealthy air conditions. Those conditions prompted the county to ask even those with exemptions to not burn.
Johnson notes that’s not an option for some…
“There’s a lot of people in this community that rely on wood heat, they just don’t have any other option but to burn firewood.”
There’s a strong possibility that Klamath Falls could fail to meet federal air quality standards this year…and that could result in even tighter wood burning restrictions later on.
“I don’t know what we would do if we weren’t able to have this variance.” Notes Johnson.
Johnson says the last time he tried to heat his home with electric baseboard heaters, his power bill was over 700 dollars for the month. Johnson adds that the estimated cost of putting in central heat to his home isover 10 thousand dollars.
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