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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
This is the time of year when, for many homes, it's common to have a fire in the woodstove.
However, it's important to be aware of wood smoke's possible health impacts, because the smoke can result in substantial air pollution, and improperly maintained wood stoves and heaters can result in health problems for those who use them.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Web site reports that wood smoke includes carbon monoxide, organic compounds including air toxins, and fine particles, which the EPS said are formed when unburnt gases cool as they go up the chimney. Those fine particles can be seen as white smoke, the EPA reported.
While the EPA says that wood smoke pollution affects everyone, risk depends on a person's exposure to the smoke, along with age and health.
Certain populations are at special risk, according to the EPA, including infants and young children; those with cardiac or respiratory conditions (such as asthma); the frail elderly; and anyone with diabetes-related vascular conditions.
Wood smoke can affect people both inside and outside of their homes, the EPA reported.
"Wood smoke is not good for you," said Bob Reynolds, director of the Lake County Air Quality Management District (LCAQMD).
Reynolds said the greatest health risks are for people exposed to wood smoke in their homes due to improperly maintained stoves or for those who burn wood treated with chemicals such as creosote.
The smoke is a particular health concern, he said, because dangerous toxins enter the lungs and then go directly to the bloodstream and lymph nodes.
The LCAQMD Web site says, “Generally wood stoves and fireplaces are not clean from an air emissions perspective; even when the burning devices are EPA approved they are likely to create localized degradation and air quality impact when used in dense residential areas.”
The EPA report on wood smoke reported that poorly installed or leaking wood heaters can cause excessive levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Carbon monoxide, EPA explained, deprives the body of oxygen, impairing thinking and reflexes.
Symptoms can range from headaches and fatigue at low exposure levels, to flu-like symptoms at moderate levels, to carbon monoxide poisoning and death in high-exposure cases.
Particulate matter generated by burning can cause short-term health concerns, the EPA reported, such as throat and eye irritation, runny nose or bronchitis. In addition, it makes existing heart and lung conditions – bronchitis, asthma and emphysema – worse, according to the EPA.
Air toxics can cause eye irrigation and headaches, or have much worse affects, such as permanent damage to the body's systems – respiratory, nervous, reproductive, immune and developmental, the EPA reported.
Even worse, the EPA said that certain air toxics generated by burning can cause cancer.
What to do? First, both the EPA and Reynolds urge making sure your stove is cleaned and in proper working order.
A major caveat from Reynolds: Avoid burning treated wood.
Reynolds said his department has dealt with only about 10 complaints in the last year from people who say their neighbors' wood burning is causing them discomfort. Most of these complaints, he added, have arisen within residential developments.
When confronting such a problem, he urges people with complaints to first approach the woodstove owner.
Reynolds said he's found that, generally, people try to be cooperative when problems are brought to their attention, and are willing to make modifications, including raising chimney heights.
The EPA suggests making sure that stoves are properly assembled, that flues are the right size and the stoves are properly located and configured.
LCAQMD suggests operating wood stoves and heaters according to manufacturers' recommendations, and having the chimney swept annually. The agency offers guidelines for what woods to burn (they suggest seasoned hardwood rather than softwood), and urges consideration of alternatives fuels, including wood pellets and propane.
For more information on health concerns and stove safety, visit the EPA Web site, www.epa.gov/woodstoves/healtheffects.html or www.epa.gov/woodstoves/efficiently.html; or the Lake County Air Quality Management District Web site, www.lcaqmd.net/.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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CLEARLAKE – For educator Bill MacDougall, successful education relies on smaller classrooms, and allowing teachers to get to know, understand and nurture their students.
MacDougall knows what he's talking about. For 13 years he's been principal of William C. Carle Continuation High School, which the state Department of Education last week named a model continuation high school for the third time.
“We've been on a good run,” he said.
MacDougall has been an educator for 28 years; for 20 of those years, he's worked in administration. He started his career in a one-room Humboldt County continuation high school.
His belief in nurturing his students has created family bonds. He said that on Thursday one of the students from that one-room schoolhouse walked into Carle to say hello.
Carle's successes in educating at-risk students isn't the result of luck or an accident. MacDougall put together a faculty of five teachers who he said are among the top professionals in the county. They include Steve Hamann, Martha Bakerjian, Verna Rogers, and Alan and Angie Siegel. Keeping the school office running smoothly is secretary Barbara Dye.
All of Carle's teachers have been mentor teachers, or have been selected as a Northern California Continuation Educator of the Year, said MacDougall.
Angie and Alan Siegel were both named county teachers of the year, with Alan Siegel winning State Teacher of the Year honors in 2005.
“This is an amazing group of educators,” MacDougall said.
MacDougall said his team of teachers is crucial to the success of Carle's students. He said he didn't want teachers of average skill.
“I wouldn't want my child to be taught by someone who was an average teacher,” said the father of five, four of them students he welcomed into his family.
MacDougall said the time for education change in the U.S. is now. Schools have gotten too big and impersonal, he said, with teachers expected to educate hundreds of students without being able to get to know them.
MacDougall said Carle, and other continuation schools like it, need to be replicated throughout education. These smaller schools, he said, can try new things and not be afraid to fail, and the result is that they've all come to the same conclusions about the need to focus on students.
At Carle, where there are 95 students this year, MacDougall said they've been able to prove that the formula for successfully reaching students includes smaller teacher-student ratios, with increased emphasis on creating relationships between teachers and students.
“We spend 80 percent of our staff time weekly talking about each and every student,” said MacDougall.
They don't focus on tardies and policies, he said, but on what actually works for the kids.
MacDougall said it's also important to look at parents and students as clients, and for teachers to be mindful of the “gift and responsibility” of time with students, which becomes even more crucial for kids whose parents are absent.
He said his staff is constantly amazed by their students.
These are kids, said MacDougall, who, in many cases, have had terrible hardships to overcome. Most come from backgrounds of poverty. Eighty-seven percent of their students receive free or reduced-price lunches, he said.
Students come on a voluntary basis. Many are referred by counselors at other schools, he said, or make the request themselves. They must, however, qualify to attend, which includes showing the proper maturity level and desire to succeed, which can be shown through attendance and a lack of discipline referrals.
Eighty-percent attendance is required at Carle, he said. The students also are required to do community service, he added.
MacDougall said there's only one rule at school: respect.
The result is students who want to connect, and actually like being at school.
During a recent session of Saturday school, at which only two students who needed to make up attendance time were expected to show up, MacDougall said 10 kids came, because they found out school was open and they enjoy the activities there.
That's because the school provides food, shelter and intellectual stimulus, said MacDougall. “Why wouldn't you want to come?”
MacDougall said it takes three things to be a successful adult: show up, put in extra effort and be nice (it doesn't hurt, he said).
“If I can get the kids to do those three things, I know they're going to be successful in their work,” he said.
Part of the school's family atmosphere, included Carle's own cat, Jack, who died last May. MacDougall said Jack wandered into the school several years ago, sick and hungry, and missing an eye and an ear.
With love and care, Jack blossomed. “He was a tremendous symbol of our school,” said MacDougall.
He said it was inspirational to him to see the kids interact with Jack, who brought out their compassion and acceptance.
MacDougall said 95 percent of Carle students go to college, trade school,s the military or directly into employment, a number he believes is high compared to other schools across the county.
The other 5 percent, he said, get constant phone calls and other communication from school staff in order to encourage them toward school or jobs. “We do not let up,” he said.
MacDougall said substance abuse is the No. 1 reason that the members of that 5 percent don't make it. Crank is the most devastating drug by far, he said, followed by alcohol, although the more troubled students abuse several substances.
Although many of Carle's students going to college, MacDougall said they found that many of those same students weren't going back for a second year.
The way to change that, he said, was to go beyond the educational basics and increase the rigor of Carle's curriculum, in order to give students a better foundation. MacDougall credits that decision with giving Carle some of the highest Academic Performance Index scores in the county.
The safe, encouraging atmosphere at Carle isn't just rewarding for the kids; for MacDougall, it's also been a place of growth and reward.
“I have never been in an environment where I have grown more as a human being and as a man,” he said. “You can't help but be a better human being after watching the kids.”
He added, “I'm very, very grateful to be here. It does something for your soul and your spirit, and that's not something that you usually see in schools.”
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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CLEARLAKE OAKS - The California Highway Patrol has arrested a Clearlake Oaks man who allegedly left the scene after hitting a bicyclist with his vehicle on Saturday.
Josh Dye, public affairs officer for the Clear Lake Area CHP office, reported that Jon Somdahl, 58, of Clearlake Oaks was arrested Monday for felony hit and run.
Somdahl was charged with hitting Joshua Lundquist at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Dye reported, as Lundquist rode his BMX bicycle on the right shoulder heading eastbound on Highway 20.
Lundquist was just east of Oak Grove Avenue in Clearlake Oaks when he allegedly was struck from behind by Somdahl's vehicle. Dye reported that it was raining when the collision is alleged to have taken place.
Somdahl then allegedly fled the scene, according to Dye's report.
Lundquist was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital where he was treated for his injuries, including head trauma.
CHP Officers Domby and Barnes analyzed the evidence at the scene and developed leads on the suspect vehicle, Dye said.
Their investigation led them to a suspect vehicle at a Clearlake Oaks residence, less than half a mile from where the Saturday collision occurred.
At the residence they located Somdahl, who was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail, Dye reported.
Somdahl is being held on $10,000 bail, according to the jail's arrest records.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
LAKE COUNTY – A wet and windy Sunday is predicted - but the rains that moved through the county last night should decrease to showers today, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Sacramento.
A breezy Sunday with gusts from the Southwest to 40 mph and showers are predicted during the day on Sunday, with high temperatures to be in the mid to upper 40s.
Snow level will remain around 3,000 feet during the day, with accumulations up to 3 inches over higher elevations according to the NWS. Snow level will drop to 2500 feet overnight, with lows in the mid 30s.
Rain is likely on Monday, with snow levels remaining around 3,000 feet. Highs are expected to be in the mid 40s, lows in the mid 30s.
Colder air is predicted to move into the county Tuesday and Wednesday lowering snow levels.
Contact Terre Logsdon at
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