Starting November 1, 2025, residents of Reno, Sparks, and nearby areas in Washoe County, Nevada, will need to follow updated Daily Burn Code rules for wood-burning devices. The Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) Air Quality Management Division (AQMD) will update the Burn Code each day through February 28, 2026. Residents can check the daily status on OurCleanAir.com, by phone, or on NNPH social media.
The Burn Code uses three colors: Green allows burning, Yellow discourages it, and Red prohibits it. Last year, there were 117 Green days and 3 Yellow days out of 120. There have been no Red days since December 29, 2017. The code covers certain ZIP codes from Washoe Valley to Silver Knolls. Households that use wood-burning as their only heat source can apply for an exemption by contacting AQMD.
Dr. Chad Kingsley, NNPH District Health Officer, said the Burn Code has been in place for 35 years and has helped improve air quality. He asked residents to follow daily updates to help protect people sensitive to air pollution…