Warming without the Blaze - Page 2

In years past, alerts that banned wood burning were only called for from November to February but, beginning in 2019, 'Spare the Air' Alerts went into effect year-round, particularly when there were wildfires affecting air quality in the Bay Area.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District passed its wood-burning regulation in 2008, which makes it illegal to burn wood, fire logs, pellets, or other solid fuels in fireplaces, wood stoves, outdoor fire pits, or other wood-burning devices during the times an alert is in effect.

In order to keep up-to-date, residents can refer to sparetheair.org for advisories, or sign up for text alerts that issue notifications regarding periods when it is illegal to burn wood.

With these regulations in mind, CA-Modern's 'Warm Your Hearth' was born, looking at practical alternatives to conventional fireplace use. By viewing the fireplace, mantel, and surround as a unique focal point, a non-working fireplace can become a home gallery space that lends itself to a myriad of ideas.

One is a customizable fireplace insert from Aura Life. The sculptural insert sets your fireplace aglow, producing the clever illusion of dancing flames, safely and minus the fire.

If you're looking for the warmth and ambience of candle glow, there's the 'Birch Log Candleholder,' a handmade, natural birch-log arrangement that offers easy set-up without actually having to build a fire.

Another ingenious way to take advantage of your fireplace as a display area is by exhibiting art, or your own personal collections of objects, that can change with the seasons.

Pointing us to a Bay Area favorite, the article recommends an artful grouping of vases from Heath Ceramics, introduced originally in the mid-century by the Sausalito studio of Edith and Brian Heath. You can shop Heath online or make an in-person visit to their Bay Area studio and store.

With cooler weather and the holidays just around the corner, we hope you'll warm up to our fireplace ideas—and check out 'Warm Your Hearth,' just one of the numerous just-published features in the new Fall '21 issue of CA-Modern.