Don't even think about lighting a fire in that fireplace tonight!
It's the first Spare the Air day of the winter season today, as announced by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and this means no "burning of wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors for 24 hours."
Spare the Air days are intended to keep particulate matter levels within healthy ranges, and everyone is expected to comply, including residents and businesses with fireplaces and wood-burning ovens.
Last winter, the air district received 2,316 wood smoke complaints from snitching neighbors, and of those complaints, a total of 178 $100 tickets were issued.
We imagine this guy will be pulling out his video camera from his high-rise apartment above Kokkari to prove that the restaurant continues running its wood-burning ovens and fireplace on Spare the Air Days. And though restaurants are supposed to comply, we're guessing that all the trendy spots that now use wood grills and ovens as a central mode of food prep, including Cotogna, Una Pizza Napoletana, Lolinda, and the brand new TBD, will be trying to skirt this alert much like Kokkari does, for business reasons. Luckily most of them are closed on Monday!
Should you care to lodge a complaint about your neighbors, you can do so here.