Burning question: Will you get fined? No-burn violators will be notified by mail.

Fresno Bee ^ | November 19, 2003 | Mark Grossi

[JuanAntonio]

Even though local air authorities ordered you not to light your fireplace Tuesday, you burned your wood anyway. It was a chilly November evening. But did you get caught? The answer: You don't know.

You won't find out for a few days because inspectors for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District don't knock on doors. They mail violation notices.

[Gorzaloon]

Even though local air authorities ordered you not to light your fireplace Tuesday, you burned your wood anyway. It was a chilly November evening. But did you get caught? The answer: You don't know.

I thought the whole STATE was a wood-burning appliance recently.

I just do not understand how people could live in such a place, but then, I am here on FR..and I KNOW there are reasonable and bright people who live there.

I know. The whole thing is some kind of blonde joke or something! Or possibly one about frantically rebuilding. With wooden shingle roofs again, for the umpteenth time.

[Dog Gone]

The state was ablaze a couple of weeks ago and you could see the smoke from satellite photos, but they focus on a few fireplaces as a major problem.

California often is a shining example of micromanagement by liberal politicians. They can't see the forest for the trees, but since it's burning down anyway, who cares?

[henderson field]

And who voted to prohibit wood-burning fires? What happens if there is a power outage and your furnace goes out? Are you supposed to freeze? You know, of course, that all gas furnaces are now electronically lit - there is no pilot light. Ergo, no power, no heat. Burst my pipes and ruin my house for some bureaucrats? Then they are liable.

[henderson field]

Your wooden shingle roof will not catch fire if you or a neighbor have a log fire in the fireplace and little cinders coming out of the flue. They will, however, burn merrily if there is a forest fire. Next time you re-roof, get a ProPanel metal roof.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[Carry_Okie]

Burst my pipes and ruin my house for some bureaucrats? Then they are liable.

No they're not. The legislature exempts regulatory agencies for the consequences of their actions.

[Reeses]

About 60 district employees hit the streets at various times during the day and evening Tuesday in Fresno and Kern counties to look for houses where wood was burning in a fireplace, stove or heater.

We need to get this info to Schwarzenegger. Here are 60 employees that can be chopped. What's the federal EPA for?

There's something about a wood fire that is deeply woven into us. Meat tastes better when it is cooked over a wood fire. To have a romantic evening, you need a wood fire. Sending out secret fire spies to take pictures is soooooooo Soviet.

[Amerigomag]

The legislature exempts regulatory agencies for the consequences of their actions

As I said on a earlier thread if I catch one of these inspectors trying to conduct "regulatory enforcement" at my residence on Christmas Eve it's going to take all 8 tiny reindeer to extract the still smoldering log from his ...

[TalBlack]

What the hell is a "local air authoritie" and where do they get all of this power to invade a citizen's privacy?

Killing America in dribs and drabs.

[stylin19a]

how can they tell the difference between real wood burning and a phony log burning just by looking ?

[sergeantdave]

Little bureaucratic goosesteppers telling private property owners when they can or cannot burn wood?

Does anyone in that bloody state know what fascism is? Does anyone in that state have enough guts to knock some teeth out? Can anyone tell these (Bleep!) bureaucrats "No!"

I hope Arnold has enough Patton in him to slap these gestapo pigs down. I can't believe how far down the garbage pit this state is.

[templar]

...but they didn't actually speak with possible offenders. "That's too invasive," ...

Or, maybe, it's too dangerous.

[Lancey Howard]

Wow. California is like East Germany before the wall came down.

[lorrainer]

...inspectors cruised neighborhoods...

I wonder how much pollution these inspectors put into the air, driving around looking for offenders?

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[this_ol_patriot]

What the hell is a "local air authoritie" and where do they get all of this power to invade a citizen's privacy?

Oh maybe from the citizens that gave governments across the land the will to go after that other little smoke problem. Feed the bear once and it always comes back for more. Slippery slope, slippery slope, slippery slope, slippery slope, slippery slope, slippery slope.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[sauropod]

So when the district issued its first wood-burning ban Tuesday, inspectors cruised neighborhoods, but they didn't actually speak with possible offenders.

"That's too invasive," said Bob Kard, director of the district's compliance department. "We look for smoke, take photographs and contact the resident via mail."

Oh goody! Fascism by mail.

What's next? Communism by QVC?

[sauropod]

I'd be even happier if Ahnold chopped the Federal EPA as well. Or ban them from the state.