Burn ban in effect for 3-county area

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issued a burn ban for King, Pierce and Snohomish counties on Sunday.

The ban prohibits burning in fireplaces and uncertified woodstoves, except for instances in which they are the only adequate source of heat. All outdoor burning is banned.

A lack of windy weather is causing pollution to "stay down near the ground, rather than rise and clear out," said agency spokeswoman Amy Warren. The ban will remain in effect "until the weather changes and pollution can dissipate," likely through Tuesday, she said.

Certified woodstoves or fireplaces that serve as the main source of heat may not generate visible smoke beyond a 20-minute startup period. Information on which stoves are certified can be found at the "Wood Stoves & Fireplaces" section of www.pscleanair.org.

Ban violators could face a daily fine of at least $1,000.

The state Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit the time they spend outdoors.

Seattle

Nathan Hale High reopening today

Nathan Hale High School in North Seattle, closed for a week because of flood damage, will reopen this morning, said Principal Marni Campbell.

Rainwater entered 28 classrooms from a courtyard that did not drain properly during last week's storms. Up to 50 carpenters, laborers and electricians have been working day and night at the 1,060-student school to repair the damage, Campbell said.

"I just did a walk-through, and it's looking great," she said Sunday afternoon. "The dampness is gone, there's no mold, and all air tests have come back clean."

Lynden, Whatcom County

Incident closes border for 3 hours

The Canadian border at Highway 529 in Lynden was closed for three hours Sunday morning after Royal Canadian Mounted Police stopped a man who drove across the border without stopping. Authorities confiscated some envelopes containing printed documents and some white powder and arrested the man.

Cpl. Peter Thiessen of Royal Canadian Mounted Police says the 21-year-old man from Bellingham was driving erratically and appeared to be under the influence of drugs. He was taken to a Canadian hospital for treatment. After he is released from the hospital, he is expected to face charges in Canada and eventually be deported to the U.S.

Seattle

Obama fundraiser Tuesday in SoDo

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., will return to Seattle on Tuesday to raise money for his run for president.

According to a campaign news release, Obama will host a "Generation Obama" event at the Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S., with guest musical performances by Brad and the Dusty 45s.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the fundraiser are $100 and can be obtained by going to http://my.barackobama.com/GOseattle.

Obama last visited Seattle in June, drawing 3,500 people to the Qwest Field Event Center.

Anchorage

Chopper may have crashed in fjord

A body and debris found near Whittier, Alaska, indicate that a missing medical helicopter may have crashed in the fjord leading to that Prince William Sound community.

A search helicopter Saturday found the body of John Stumpff, 47, a flight nurse, on the north shore of Passage Canal, about 2.5 miles across the fjord from Whittier.

Stumpff was one of three crew members on a LifeGuard Alaska helicopter that disappeared in blowing snow a week ago on a flight from Cordova to Anchorage. A patient also was on board.

Seattle Times staff and news services