Transcript Slide 1

SMOKE MANAGEMENT
Burner’s Proverb:
My Fire and My Smoke are My
Problems, wherever they go.
(www.pfmt.org/fire)
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
Credits
• Thanks to the authors: This presentation
was developed using slides from the
Prescribed Fire Training Center in Florida,
and from USDA Forest Service Air
Resources Management training.
OBJECTIVES
FL Certified Prescribed Burn
Manger training
 Learn major pollutants of smoke
 Understand and designate smoke sensitive
areas and CRITICAL SSA
 Know the current legal requirements for
managing smoke during rx burns
 Identify indicators that inversions may be likely,
including DI (dispersion index)
 Identify ignition strategies to mitigate smoke
 Learn the smoke screening system
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
What Is Smoke?
Water vapor combined with
gases and small particles
Flaming fire
phase
(only about 25%
of the smoke is
dispersed at
ground level)
Smoldering fire
phase- 2x smoke
of flaming
phase…
(poor
combustion and
smoke
disperses down
drainages)
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
Smoke Emissions
Ozone
(O3)
•Damages plant tissues
•Key ingredient of smog
•Bad for human health
• Carbon Dioxide
(2200-3500 lbs per ton of
fuel consumed)
• Water
• Carbon Monoxide
• Hydrocarbons
(VOCs)
• Nitrogen Oxides
+
• Particulate
Matter
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
Particulate Matter
Smoke particles are relatively small
(similar size to pollen)
< PM 2.5 microns
70.0%
10.0%
20.0%
(similar size to fly ash)
> PM 10 microns
PM 2.5-10 microns
(similar size to dust)
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
Fine Particulate, PM 2.5
SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?
PUBLIC CONCERNS
• 1. Nuisance Smoke
– Increasing Population
• Within WUI
• Increased potential for
complaints of nuisance
smoke
– Popular Recreation Areas
SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?
PUBLIC CONCERNS
• 2. Health Effects Related to Particulate
Matter
• Increased Premature Deaths
• Aggravation of respiratory or
cardiovascular illnesses
• Changes in lung function / structure /
natural defense
PUBLIC CONCERNS
SAFETY!
Interstate 4: Florida (January 9, 2008)- FL Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission
N
Predicted RH= 60%+
LVORI?
Interstate 4
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
Interstate 4: Morning of January 9, 2008)
SAFETY
http://essentialpresence.blogspot.com/2008/01/one-foggy-florida-morning.html
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
3. Safety- six burned vehicles, 4
fatalities, 38 injured. 70 cars/ trucks
damaged.
(AP Photo/Reinhold Matay) ( Reinhold Matay – AP)
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
3. Safety
Smoke from Forest Service prescribed fire
causes school bus crash
http://wildfiretoday.com/2011/01/29/s
moke-from-forest-service-prescribedfire-causes-school-bus-crash/
SMOKE MANAGEMENT PLAN
OBJECTIVES
• Prevent public health and safety
hazards!!
• Minimize amount of smoke entering sensitive areas
• Avoid significant deterioration of air quality
• Avoid NAAQS violations
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
Where are these objectives in your
burn plan?
•Description of burn unit
•Map of burn unit
•Weather factors
•Fuel conditions
•Season and time of day
•Smoke screening plan
•Publicity
•Firing plan/ ignitions
•Control and mop-up
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
• CLEAN AIR ACT
• States, Tribes, local gov’t take the lead
•State/Tribal Implementation Plans
•Smoke Management Programs
• EPA
•Sets limits on emissions / pollutants
•NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality
Standards)
•Reviewed Every 5 years
•Non-attainment and Maintenance Areas
•Approves States’ plans
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
NAAQS:
Pollutant
Primary Stds.
Averaging Times
Secondary Stds.
Carbon Monoxide
9 ppm
(10 mg/m3)
8-hour(1)
None
1-hour(1)
None
Quarterly Average
Same as Primary
Annual (Arithmetic
Mean)
Same as Primary
35 ppm
(40 mg/m3)
Lead
1.5 µg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide
0.053 ppm
Particulate Matter
(PM10)
150 µg/m3
24-hour(3)
Same as Primary
Particulate Matter
(PM2.5)
15.0 µg/m3
Annual(4) (Arith. Mean)
Same as Primary
35 µg/m3
24-hour(5)
Same as Primary
Ozone
0.075 ppm
8-hour(6)
Same as Primary
0.12 ppm
1-hour(7) (Applies only
in limited areas)
Same as Primary
0.03 ppm
Annual (Arith. Mean)
-------
0.14 ppm
24-hour(1)
-------
Sulfur Oxides
(100 µg/m3)
-------
3-hour(1)
0.5 ppm (1300 µg/m3)
SMOKE: WHY BE CONCERNED?
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
•Federal Agencies must comply with
state and local regulations and
procedures
•Burn permits
•Others vary by state
•Visibility must be maintained
•Class I Areas- e.g. National Parks
>5000 acres
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
CLASS I AREAS
Native American Lands
Legal requirements
KNOW THE NON-ATTAINMENT AREAS IN
YOUR AREA
Areas that the State and EPA have
determined exceed the NAAQS for specific
pollutant(s).
Burning OR sending smoke into a Non-Attainment
Area:
• May require Conformity Analysis
• Completed with NEPA
• Call your Air Specialist
• Work with the state prior to the burn
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/mappm25o3.html
TOOLS to help prescribed burners plan for
compliance
Atmospheric Dispersion Index
•Weather-related predictions
•Smoke Modeling
NASA Satellite Imagery of Fires
in Georgia: May 7, 2007
•Smoke Monitoring
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
•Weather-related predictions
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
•Weather-related predictions
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
Smoke Modeling
FCAMMS
Fire
Consortia
for
Advanced
Modeling of
Meteorology
and Smoke.
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
Smoke Modeling
• Burn Plan  Day of Burn
– SIMPLE SMOKE SCREENING
– SASEM
– V-SMOKE
– V-SMOKE GIS
– SMOKE IMPACT SPREADSHEET
– HYSPLIT
– PB-PIEDMONT
– BLUESKY
– Available: http://shrmc.ggy.uga.edu/smoke/
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
Smoke Modeling: V-SMOKE
• VSMOKE:
Level II model used to
predict period by
period particulate
matter, carbon
monoxide, and
visibility estimates at
31 distances (0.06 62 miles).
• http://
216.48.37.155/vsmoke
• Primary contact:
– Bill Jackson 828-2574815
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
Smoke Modeling: V-SMOKE GIS
• VSMOKE-GIS:
• For use in flat to gently rolling
terrain, and steady wind
conditions.
• http:// 216.48.37.155/vsmoke
• Primary contact:
– Bill Jackson 828-257-4815
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
Smoke Modeling: SIS
• Smoke Impact
Spreadsheet (SIS)
– Screening model used
in complex terrain
– Couples FOFEM with
CALPUFF
– Results are in simple
Excel spreadsheet
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
TOOLS FOR MANAGING SMOKE
Smoke Modeling: Simple Smoke Screening
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
BURN PLANS: SMOKE
Before Approving the Burn Plan:
 Were The Sensitive Areas / Receptors
Identified?
 Non-Attainment Areas
 Conformity Analysis (NEPA)
 Class I Areas
 Highways and Airports
 Hospitals
 Towns, Communities
 Recreational Areas
 Are Potential Impacts Identified?
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
BURN PLANS: SMOKE
Before approving the Burn Plan:
• Know your
Meteorological
Thresholds.
• Avoid:
– Mixing Heights < 1700’
– Transport Winds (Speed and
Direction) <9 mph
– Dispersion Index <41 or less
than 8 at night
– LVORI >7
Stable Atmosphere
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
Un-stable Atmosphere
How else do we minimize risk?
• Suggested: for
rough > 2yrs, use
backing fire, unless
done 3 hrs before
sunset
• Mop up promptly!
• Keep stumps, snags
from burning, or
extinguish them
carefully
BURN PLANS: SMOKE
Before Approving the Burn Plan:
• Potential for Plume Collapse?
– Mass ignition (e.g. aerial ignitions)
• Smoke Plume Rises Above Mixing Height
• Potential Effects Farther Downwind/ in urban areas
(60-100+ miles)
• What is the Contingency Plan?
• Will Timely Information Be Made Available ?
– Notification List in Burn Plan- who will contact those
who may be impacted?
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
– Inform Public / Press of Smoke Impacts
January 2008
BURN PLANS: SMOKE
Before Approving the Burn Plan:
•
Determine your method and
frequency of weather forecasts
and smoke monitoring
– Daytime v. Nighttime Dispersal?
– Multiple Day Burns?
– Look Beyond Day/Time of Burn
• Are Conditions Expected to Change
Overnight
•
– Minimum: Check Daily Until
Declared “Out”
Define conditions to leave fire
unstaffed at the end of the
burn...
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
During the Burn- Monitoring Smoke
•Smoke Monitoring on the Day of
Burn
•Visual
•Ground
•Aerial
•Satellite
•Instrumental
•Contact Air Specialists
•State Particulate Monitors
•Web-based
•Agency Air Specialist
•State Air Quality Managers
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008
After The Burn Is Complete:
• Post Burn Smoke Evaluation:
– Were Complaints Received?
• How Many?
• By Whom?
• Location?
– Did We Impact Any Sensitive Targets?.
– What Caused The Smoke Problems?
• Implementation problems?
• Changes in weather conditions?
– Were The NAAQS Exceeded?
• Do we have the documentation needed by
the State?
– CONDUCT IMMEDIATELY POST BURN
USDA Forest Service
Air Resource Management
January 2008