Title: This document is contained within the Fire Management Toolbox on Wilderness.net. Since other related resources found in this toolbox may be of interest, you can visit this toolbox by visiting the following URL:
1- This document is contained within the Fire
Management Toolbox on Wilderness.net. Since other
related resources found in this toolbox may be of
interest, you can visit this toolbox by visiting
the following URL http//www.wilderness.net/index
.cfm?fusetoolboxessecfire. All toolboxes are
products of the Arthur Carhart National
Wilderness Training Center.
2Smoke Management and Air Quality
- Tools of the Trade
- Trent Wickman
- twickman_at_fs.fed.us
- 218-626-4372
3Objectives
- Discuss why you must consider smoke management as
part of your burn operations. - Identify tools available to help you plan for,
and communicate the impacts of smoke.
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5gt 100 microns
6Particulate the Respiratory Tract
Larger Particles
gt 10 microns
5 microns
Smoke
2-3 microns
Smaller Particles
1 micron
Alveolar Diffusion
lt0.1 microns
7What are the particulates made of?
Sulfates, nitrates, and organic aerosols are key
manmade pollutants adversely affecting visibility
and other resources on forests nationwide.
8Why is smoke taken more seriously in different
areas of the country?
9as of 2002
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11.. in Class I Areas
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15Why Plan and Communicate the Impacts of Smoke?
- What air quality issues will prohibit me from
burning? - How will I know if Ive exceeded some air
quality threshold? - How will smoke affect me?
- How will it affect the local community?
16Why Plan and Communicate the Impacts of Smoke?
- Meet national and state ambient air quality
standards (and other processes or rules) - Be sensitive to public concern
- e.g. Air Quality Index
- Retain relationships with air quality partners
- Regulators, public, other land managers
17Because we have to
- States establish strategies to achieve the Clean
Air Act goals through a State Implementation Plan
(SIP) approved by EPA. - State Smoke Management Plans (SMPs) are parts of
the overall state SIP. - Remember State air quality agencies are acting
as EPA!!
18Tools of the Trade
- Weather-related predictions
- Smoke Modeling
- Smoke Monitoring
19When?
- NEPA ? Burn Plan ? Day of Burn
20Atmospheric Dispersion Index (ADI) (this form
Generally Used in SE)
ADI Interpretation
1-6 Very poor dispersion
7-12 Poor dispersion
13-20 Generally poor dispersion
21-40 Fair dispersion
41-60 Generally good dispersion
61-100 Good dispersion
gt100 Very good dispersion
Generally burning not allowed
Table 9.2 from Smoke Guide
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22FCAMMS
- 2001 January The National Fire Plan
establishes FCAMMS Fire Consortia for Advanced
Modeling of Meteorology and Smoke.
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24Atmospheric Dispersion Index
9-24-Rx410-EP
25Tools of the Trade
- Weather-related predictions
- Smoke Modeling
- Smoke Monitoring
26Pre-modeling Questions
- What do you want to do with the results?
- NEPA document?
- Burn Plan?
- Burn Permit?
- Threshold levels?
- Adaptive Management
- Documentation?
- Go/No-Go Decision?
- What state are you in?
- What is agency policy?
- Where are your sensitive areas?
- Cumulative effects of other burns?
27Types of Smoke Models
- Emissions Production/Lookup Tables
- Mass (e.g., tons of particulate/acre)
- Dispersion
- Concentration (e.g., micrograms of particulate/
cubic meter of air)
28Emissions Production/Lookup Tables
- Based on the acres /or fuel load OR
- emissions are calculated directly based on this
info (e.g. FOFEM) - THEN determine the distance to sensitive
receptors - Also similar screening techniques available using
maps
29What is Dispersion Modeling?
- A well defined system for communicating the
impact of smoke on ambient air quality (which
can include visibility). Takes the emissions
generated from the land and using meteorology
disperses them in the atmosphere.
30Dispersion Modeling
- NEPA ? Burn Plan ? Day of Burn
- SASEM
- V-SMOKE-GIS
- V-Smoke
- Smoke Impact
- Spreadsheet
31Dispersion Modeling
- NEPA ? Burn Plan ? Day of Burn
- Fire Consortia for Advanced Meteorological
Modeling (FCAMMS) - BlueSky
- PB-Piedmont
- The Southern High-Resolution Modeling Consortium
(SHRMC)
32FCAMMS
- 2001 January The National Fire Plan
establishes FCAMMS Fire Consortia for Advanced
Modeling of Meteorology and Smoke.
33- Dispersion Modeling
- NEPA ? Burn Plan ? Day of Burn
http//www.fs.fed.us/bluesky/
34Show EAMC animation
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37Smoke Modeling
- References
- NWCG Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed and
Wildland Fire (2001 Edition) - Wildland Fire in Ecosystems Effects of Fire on
Air (December 2002) - Smoke Management Techniques (Rx-410) (September
2003) - Help
- Regional/Zone Smoke or Air Quality Specialist
- Fire Consortia for Advanced Modeling of
Meteorology and Smoke (FCAMMS)
38Tools of the Trade
- Weather-related predictions
- Smoke Modeling
- Smoke Monitoring
39Smoke Monitoring
- Photos
- Satellite photos
- Particulate monitors
http//rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/
40Current Particulate Monitors
- History
- 1998 USFS Air Program began at MTDC
- Tasked to evaluate commercial, real-time PM2.5
smoke monitors - Portable
- Rugged
- Easy-to-use
- Cost
- Accurate or correctable estimates?
41Current Particulate Monitors
- History - 1998 through 2001
- RMRS Fire Lab Tests
- Field Tests (chasing Rx smoke in 1999, wildfire
smoke in 2000) - Outcome
- USFS purchased MIE DataRam for monitoring cache
in Fort Collins - Ease of use
- Correction Factor
- Portability
- Customer support
42Current Particulate Monitors
- DataRam 4
- Reliability problems, frequent transport
- Company bought out and moved twice
- New correction algorithm needed to be developed
43Current Particulate Monitors
- New promising monitors
- E-Sampler
- Light scattering
- 1/3 price of DataRam (about 4.5k)
- EBAM
- Technology the same as EPA- approved monitors for
PM10 - Cost 7.3k
44Current Particulate Monitors
- E-BAM USFS Region 5 Program
- 10 Portable E-BAMs
- 3 BAM 1020s
45Current Particulate Monitors
- Interagency Real-Time Smoke Monitoring
- http//www.satguard.com/usfs
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50Particles (PM2.5) - AQIhttp//www.airnow.gov/
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53Trents Tips
- Establish and maintain relationships with key
state air quality folks - Implement an ongoing program to educate the
public in likely impacted areas, - To gain their support for your burning program
- So at-risk folks will remove themselves from
dangerous situations - Take existing air quality into account (AQI)
- Know your SMP/state regs/procedures
54What does this show?
55WFRA tips
- Know if you are working in a Class I wilderness
- Know if you are in an area of the country where
smoke is a concern - If 1) or 2) contact your local agency air
resource specialist