RENO — Each day since Nov. 1, the Washoe County Health District issued a daily burn code informing residents when burning was restricted or prohibited. Burning is strongly discouraged during Yellow codes and prohibited during Red codes. The Health District will not issue wood burning color codes again until next November, unless air quality conditions deteriorate and require the district to issue a Yellow or Red burn code.

The first Yellow burn code of the season was issued on November 28. Strong nighttime temperature inversions during most of December led to 10 days of Yellow and five days of Red burn codes. Although only one Yellow burn code was issued in January, the Air Quality Index was in the “moderate” range for 25 of the 31 days that month. An unsettled weather pattern in February improved air quality, resulting in Green burn codes for the entire month. 

For the 2011-12 season, the Health District issued 12 Yellow and five Red burn codes.  By comparison, three Yellow and only one Red burn code was issued during the 2010-11 season.