The state Department of Environmental Quality has launched its yearly "Red Light-Green Light program" to curtail wood burning during winter inversions Saturday. The program continues until March 1.

Wood-burning conditions each day will be identified as "green," "yellow" or "red." In the Deseret News, the red light/green light information will located with the weather map. The weather map is on B12 today.The system informs citizens of when they can burn. A red traffic light indicates burning is generally prohibited. Yellow means a voluntary restriction is in order, and green means burning that day is allowed.

The burn conditions will be determined at 6:05 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays and at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m weekends and holidays.

Wasatch Front residents are asked to drive as little as possible during red and yellow days. Information on daily counts for PM10 particulate pollution and CO carbon monoxide will be available.

Fines can be levied against violaters. First-time offenders will be charged up to $25, repeat offenders will pay up to $299 for ignoring the alert.

Last winter there were no red days along the Wasatch Front, with only three yellow days in Utah County and five in Salt Lake and Davis Counties. Weber County experienced only green days.

Recorded updates are available from the Air Pollution Index Hotline at 533-7239 for Salt Lake and Davis counties and at 1-800-228-5434 in other counties. The the Web address is (http://www.eq.state.ut.us/eqamc/amc.htm).

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