Cleaner Air Starts at Home: Expanded Heating Incentives Available this Winter

To protect public health and improve winter air quality, the Valley Air District is expanding financial incentives to help more residents replace older, high-polluting fireplaces and woodstoves with cleaner heating alternatives. Beginning this winter, residents in Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Merced, Tulare, and Kings counties will be eligible for the same increased voucher amounts currently available in Fresno, Madera, and Valley portion of Kern counties.

Through the District's Fireplace & Woodstove Change-Out Program, residents with access to piped natural gas may receive up to $5,000 toward eligible replacement devices, regardless of income. Residents without access to piped natural gas may receive up to $3,500, with an additional $1,500 available to qualifying low-income residents. These incentives help offset the cost of replacing older wood-burning devices with cleaner, more energy-efficient alternatives, including electric heat pumps and natural gas inserts.

"Protecting public health remains at the core of everything we do," said Jaime Holt, the District's Chief Communications Officer. "This winter, Valley residents can make a meaningful difference in their communities by choosing cleaner heating alternatives and avoiding unnecessary wood burning. Reducing smoke from fireplaces, woodstoves, and outdoor fire pits helps improve neighborhood air quality and protect the health of our families and neighbors."

The expanded incentives coincide with the start of the District's Residential Wood Smoke Reduction Program, which runs from November 1 through the end of February. Residential wood burning releases harmful fine particulate pollution (PM2.5), which impacts neighborhood air quality and poses health risks to Valley residents. Throughout the season, the District encourages residents to avoid wood burning whenever possible and issues daily wood-burning restrictions for each Valley county based on air quality forecasts. There are three burn status levels:

Residents can check daily restrictions at valleyair.org/burnstatus, by calling 1-800-SMOG INFO (1-800-766-4463), or through the free Valley Air app. Residents can also sign up for daily email notifications.

Residents with eligible EPA-certified wood- or pellet-burning devices may register them for use on "No Burning Unless Registered" days at valleyair.org/deviceregistration.

Restrictions do not apply to natural gas-burning devices, which may be used at any time. Homes without piped natural gas, including those using propane tanks, or homes relying on wood as their only heating source, may qualify for exemptions. Outdoor wood-burning devices, including fire pits and chimineas, cannot be registered and remain subject to daily restrictions.

Valley residents are encouraged to take advantage of the expanded incentives, reduce wood burning, and help protect air quality throughout the winter season. For more information about the Fireplace & Woodstove Change-Out Program or to apply for a voucher, visit valleyair.org/change-out.

The Valley Air District covers eight counties including San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and San Joaquin Valley air basin portions of Kern. For additional information about the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, visit www.valleyair.org or call 559-230-6000.