[San Francisco] Fireplace police on patrol; smoke can draw fine

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | November 20, 2008 | Steve Rubenstein

[CE2949BB]

(11-19) 16:21 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- The fireplace police descended on the Bay Area on Wednesday.

For the first time ever, residential fires are illegal under a new law, passed in July, that bans home burning on winter season Spare the Air days.

The first such ban took effect at noon. Seventy inspectors from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District planned to spend the day and evening patrolling residential neighborhoods, looking for telltale chimney wisps.

Violators will get warnings by mail. Repeat offenders face fines of as much as $2,000.

The fireplace police say they are determined to keep law and order in the living room.

[libertarian27]

“The fireplace police say they are determined to keep law and order in the living room.”

Here we go again- drip, drip, drip..nanny ping

[LTCJ]

So this is a classic case of ...

... wait for it...

Reconnaissance By Fire.

I break me up.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

"The environment has to trump comfort," Regan said. "I'm sentimental about these things. A fireplace is so romantic, the curl of the smoke rising up - it's like Norman Rockwell. But I'm willing to make a concession to the planet's health and survival."

These fools deserve the totalitarianism they live under.

[Thermalseeker]

But soot from burning wood is a serious pollutant...

Then, you buy a stove with a catalyst. Problem solved.

[Bean Counter]

Here in Southwest Washington, we were recently informed of a similar rule that is taking effect this year. It just kills me that we are constantly urged to do everything we can to use less and less electricity, only to arrive at winter to find that heating with wood is being severely restricted.

The difference here is that the Authorities are encouraging neighbors do dime each other out...

[laotzu]

People who gather their children to enjoy hot cocoa, and ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’, around a roaring fireplace are worse than Hitler.

[Darth Hillary]

Look Gaylord - There’s smoke coming out of that guy’s hole.

[Condor51]

*** Pretty soon they'll be checking everyone's toilets to make sure they're of the one-gallon-per-flush variety. (Didn't Hillary who have a part in that ?) ***

Nope that was Al 'I Shudda Been A Plumber' Gore.

[Williams]

I would need everyone to buy a stove with a catalyst and it’s not happening.

[DPMD]

True. And, when caught, I plan to tell them it was smoke from a group medical marijuana therapy session, attended by an all-gay crowd, during which we planned disruptions to local Catholic Masses for being anti-Obama and anti-abortion.

[DPMD]

No problem. Achieve oxygen independence: Breathe less.

If it works for oil, it should work for everything else.