The Bay Area Air Quality Management District this year is planning to beef up its rules on wood burning, a common source of household heat in rural Marin that the district links to climate change and health problems. “The Bay Area currently doesn’t meet federal standards for particulates,” said Ralph Borrmann, the district’s spokesperson. “We’re obligated to do whatever we can do to bring [soot] thresholds down to a healthy level.” On April 13, the district will host a public workshop in San Rafael to discuss proposed amendments to its wood-burning rules, including revised conditions under which mandatory burn bans will take effect and updated device standards to comply with new Environmental Protection Agency woodstove regulations. According to the district, residential wood burning is the largest contributor of particulate matter—or soot—pollution, and can lead to asthma, heart attacks, lung disease and leukemia. This winter in Marin, the district recorded 865 complaints and 21 violations during 23 Winter Spare-the-Air days, which can occur from November through February and trigger a 24-hour ban on wood burning when the district deems the amount of soot in the air to be unhealthy. Of these, West Marin tallied and 442 complaints and six violations. Historically, wood smoke has been especially troublesome in the San Geronimo Valley, where a dearth of natural-gas services, an abundance of wood and topographical conditions combine to create a cauldron of soot pollution. “We’re a suburban neighborhood in a rural area,” said Susan Goldsborough, a Woodacre resident. “Whatever it is you’re doing to heat your home, you don’t want to affect your neighbors. Your air is only as clean as what the guy next door is doing.” The public workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, April 13, at San Rafael City Hall.