KENDALL, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – New burning restrictions are in place for some residents near Kendall.

The Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) issued a Stage 1 burn ban on Monday, Nov. 2, for the Columbia Valley urban growth area, which includes the Peaceful Valley and Paradise Lakes developments.

The agency says stagnant air is preventing harmful wood smoke from clearing out.

During a Stage 1 burn ban, residents are not allowed to burn in fireplaces or uncertified woodstoves unless those are their only source of heat.

All outdoor burning is prohibited and no visible smoke is allowed from any woodstove or fireplace beyond a 20-minute startup period.

NWCAA is advising anyone who needs to burn wood for heat to do so using small, hot fires. It’s also asking those residents to check their chimney 20 minutes after lighting a fire to make sure that it is not smoking and to take action if it is.

Most of the Columbia Valley area around Kendall was under “moderate” air quality levels Monday afternoon, with some parts that were even deemed “unhealthy.”