100% agree, many people don’t realize just how harmful wood smoke is. It’s also the main source of pollution in the Bay Area during the winter. Unfortunately energy costs are high enough here that people resort to burning wood to save money, so collectively beneficial policies are likely to face resistance (understandably).

The purpleair map has been awesome to at least make the problem visible. I hope they are using it to aid enforcement on spare the air days.

My romantic views of wood smoke hit reality when I first camped in Canada's Banff-Jasper national parks, where you could buy unlimited firewood for the night for $5. Everyone bought it, it seemed. Trying to breathe downwind of a campground was a rude wakeup call. It should definitely be restricted in denser residential areas. I can't imagine some of the towns in Germany or Poland where residents depend on wood fires for heat.

The atmosphere above Christchurch, NZ tends to form layers in winter that trap the smoke and make this worse, and new fireplaces have been restricted to clean-burning log burners and dry wood by law.

It seemed like the biggest change in air quality in recent years came from the tragic earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 knocking down all the unreinforced-masonry chimneys, though.

I cannot fathom making this comparison.

If you want "fresh air", why do you live near other people? Especially an entire neighborhood full of people who burn things, if you hate smoke. You can't have everything exactly how you please.

Nothing worse than a busybody neighbor who thinks he owns the patent on how to live in a neighborhood.

I live way out in the country exactly so I can live how I choose without some judgmental ass breathing down my neck. Maybe you should do the same to escape the terrible, obnoxious smell of burning wood.

I'm sure there's weed smokers in the neighborhood causing you serious quality of life problems too. Escape while you still can!