WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Yes, it’s that time of year – clocks “fall back” as Daylight Saving Time ends and the sun continues its slow retreat. Area residents will be starting their days in the dark and are likely going to return home in the dark.

Temperatures will be falling and typically we will see an increase in wood smoke as some residents who burn wood for heat in Island, San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom counties will ramp up their burning.

If you burn wood for home heating, the Northwest Clean Air Agency encourages you to limit burning to protect the air we all breathe from harmful smoke. In fact, we encourage people to avoid burning at all.

One of the big dangers of smoke from the fires you use to heat your home is the too-tiny-to-see particles that you can inhale deeply into your lungs, where they damage delicate tissues.

Health risks from wood smoke include:

Breathing issues: Wood smoke can cause coughing, wheezing, and asthma attacks, leading to serious health problems like bronchitis and lung disease.

Cardiovascular risks: Prolonged exposure is linked to heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular conditions. But anyone can be harmed by breathing in smoke.

Vulnerable populations: Children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions are at greater risk from wood smoke exposure.

Possible mental health impacts: There are associations between wood smoke exposure and mental health issues, including increased likelihood of developing conditions like dementia.

Environmental impacts: Wood smoke contributes to air pollution, adding harmful particles and gases to the atmosphere, which can contribute to climate change.

If you do burn wood for heat, make sure you use only clean, dry wood to limit smoke that can impact you and others. Dry wood burns hotter, so you get more heat and use less wood than burning wet wood. So burning dry wood saves you money.

If you have another source of heat, such as a ductless heat pump, use that instead of burning any wood at all.

Check out these videos on the importance of limiting smoke and your exposure to it: