Los Angeles County and the "No Burn" Ban

According to a report by ABC 7 News California legislators are concerned about the air quality this winter. Because of the pollution that seems to be lessening the air quality regularly, the Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley authorities instated a “no-burn ban” which restricts residents from burning a wood in a fire pit or using a wood-burning fireplace inside their home. According to the Air Quality Management District, the ban ran from Saturday to Sunday of last week and affected Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and the San Fernando Valley.

Homes in Burbank were also affected by the ban. Men and women who were affected complained that the ban didn’t seem fair, especially during the Thanksgiving weekend. Residents were told that if they continued to burn their wood in their fireplaces during the hiatus, they could be fined up to $500 for the offense.

A similar ban was started in Riverside for the duration of Monday. There is a possibility that the Los Angeles authorities will ask for more of these bans in the colder days so that they can preserve the air quality in the city. One resident of Los Angeles told local news stations that it wasn’t that cold the past few weekends, so she hasn’t felt the need to turn on her fireplace. Yet she thought that it was frustrating that she wasn’t allowed to turn on the fire, and was worried that the temperature would drop.

Another resident of Valley Village said he had never heard of a “no burn” band before, and he assumed that the ban was because of the fire danger that the fire places create in these city homes. The AQMD announced these new air pollution riles last year and they were granted power by the state to put out any fires that they came across. This means that they have the right to put out fireplace fires that cause smoke to rise from the chimney and pollute the air.

The Los Angeles authorizes say that the smoke in the air creates lung danger for a lot of men and women in the area, and they want to be sensitive to these individuals. Authorities say that the stagnant weather conditions cause the smoke to settle in the city. As well, when it is foggy this can contribute to the health hazard that smoking chimneys create. One Air Quality Management District employee says that the company wants to protect the millions of residents in Los Angeles by enacting these bans. The AQMD warns residents that there will probably be about 10 to 15 no burn alerts in the state this year at times when there is not a breeze to blow the smoke out of the city.

Those who refuse to put out their fireplaces could be confronted by the police, and may incur greater charges than a mere fine for refusing to comply. When people are not familiar with a law, such as the new “no burn ban” statutes, they often fail to obey authority. For example, if an AQMD authority comes to your home and you are not aware of the ban, you may argue. This may cause the AQMD affiliates to call in local authorities, and if you are enraged you may begin to battle the police officer. As a result, you may be charged with mistreating a peace officer, and may be arrested for your actions. Whether you have been fined for the “no burn ban” or have been arrested for another offense, you need to have a criminal defense attorney on your side.

Hire a lawyer at Lessem & Newstat today if you want help with your criminal defense case. At our firm, we are dedicated to helping citizens of the Los Angeles and Ventura areas. This includes Oxnard, Ojai, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Fillmore, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Hidden Hills, San Fernando Valley, and Sylmar. At Lessem & Newstat, we understand that you may have been caught up in a confusing arrest that was over exaggerated or resulted in false charges. Get a caring attorney on your side to help you in your case and to show that you don’t deserve the sentences that you may be facing. At Lessem & Newstat, the attorneys have case results to prove that they know what they are doing and have the experience to handle almost any Los Angeles case. Talk to a lawyer at their firm today for more information!

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