1. Prescribed Fire Smoke Management Prescribed Fire Smoke Management Gulfport, Mississippi Nov 29 – Dec 3, 2004 Cindy Huber and Bill Jackson Region 8 Air Specialists

2. Air quality & air regulations: how they affect your job as burn boss Smoke management tools: Using smoke models in planning Monitoring smoke

3. Smoke Emissions Ozone (O 3 ) + + Carbon Dioxide Water Carbon Monoxide Hydrocarbons Nitrogen Oxides Particulate MatterParticulate Matter

4. Particulate & the Respiratory Tract Larger Particles Smaller Particles > 10 microns 5 microns Alveolar Diffusion 2-3 microns 1 microns <0.1 microns

5. Health Effects Related to Particulate Matter Increased Premature Deaths Aggravation of respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses Lung function decrements Changes in lung function / structure / natural defense

6. Particulate Matter Smoke particles from wood are relatively small < PM 2.5 microns PM 2.5-10 microns > PM 10 microns 70.0% 20.0% 10.0% (similar size to pollen) (similar size to fly ash) (similar size to dust)

7. Nonattainment and General Conformity Smoke Mgmt Programs (avoid nonattainment) NAAQS: PM2.5 and Ozone New air quality regulations, in addition to traditional nuisance and public safety concerns, make smoke management an important component of each burn. Regional Haze Rule

8. Source: EPA http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/naa8h1h.html

9. © A.S.L. & Associates, 2000-2004. All rights reserved

10. Burning Near Nonattainment Areas Conformity Determinations Must be done for all prescribed burns planned within ozone or particulate nonattainment areas. Conformity determination requires calculation of emissions. We are not allowed to impede the state’s progress toward bringing an area back into attainment – per the Clean Air Act. AIR SPECIALISTS CAN HELP YOU

11. Regional Haze Regulations will reduce emissions that cause visibility impairment – emissions from wildland fire are under scrutiny, as industry looks for other sources to “share the pain”. Remember that Class I areas should be on your list of smoke sensitive areas

12. Smoke Management Programs New rules may appear; such as needing a permit to burn.

13. Smoke Management Tools Modeling and Monitoring

14. Air Resource Management Simple Method To Estimate Smoke Impact Dispersion index: An estimate of the capacity of the atmosphere to disperse smoke (DI >=30). 50 km Mixing height Wind direction

15. Air Resource Management Low Visibility Occurrence Risk Index A risk index of low visibility on highways due to smoke and/or fog. Input values include dispersion index and relative humidity.

16. Air Resource Management Simple Dispersion Models VSMOKE-GIS:VSMOKE-GIS: A simple screening model to show predicted downwind concentrations of particulate matter. A simple screening model to show predicted downwind concentrations of particulate matter. For use in flat to gently rolling terrain, and steady wind conditions.For use in flat to gently rolling terrain, and steady wind conditions.

17. Air Resource Management Another Smoke Dispersion Model VSMOKE:VSMOKE: Level II model used to predict period by period particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and visibility estimates at 31 logarithmically spaced distances (0.06 - 62 miles). Level II model used to predict period by period particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and visibility estimates at 31 logarithmically spaced distances (0.06 - 62 miles).

18. Air Resource Management PB Piedmont Nighttime smoke dispersion model when the windspeed is very lowNighttime smoke dispersion model when the windspeed is very low Meteorology data can be download to predict smoke movement for the next 24 hours.Meteorology data can be download to predict smoke movement for the next 24 hours.

19. Air Resource Management Smoke Impact Spreadsheet Puff dispersion model used in a screening (simple) analysis for use in complex terrain.Puff dispersion model used in a screening (simple) analysis for use in complex terrain.

20. Air Resource Management The Southern High-Resolution Modeling Consortium (SHRMC) Coupled Prescribed Fire–Air Chemistry Modeling Framework – SHRMC-4S Modeling the smoke from numerous fires in a complex meteorological field and in flat or mountainous terrain.Modeling the smoke from numerous fires in a complex meteorological field and in flat or mountainous terrain.

21. Air Resource Management Transportation Hazard Carbon Sequestration

22. Air Resource Management Collision Between Laws Clean Air Act vs Endangered Species Act A low-growing shrub, Hudsonia montana Nuttall is listed as an threatened species via the Endangered Species Act.A low-growing shrub, Hudsonia montana Nuttall is listed as an threatened species via the Endangered Species Act. H. montana depends on fire to survive.H. montana depends on fire to survive. Largest populations of H. montana are found within and adjacent to the Linville Gorge Wilderness, a Class I area protected via the Clean Air Act. Largest populations of H. montana are found within and adjacent to the Linville Gorge Wilderness, a Class I area protected via the Clean Air Act.

23. Air Resource Management Background for SHRMC-4S 1998+ Pressed between demands for increasing prescribed burning for forest management and decreasing smoke exposure to the general population, land managers1998+ Pressed between demands for increasing prescribed burning for forest management and decreasing smoke exposure to the general population, land managers –Recognized a need to find more days favorable for burning in order to accomplish land management objectives –Recognized a need to design burns to place smoke away from sensitive targets – managing smoke both horizontally and vertically

24. Air Resource Management Background for SHRMC-4S 2001 – January – The National Fire Plan establishes FCAMMS – Fire Consortia for Advanced Modeling of Meteorology and Smoke.2001 – January – The National Fire Plan establishes FCAMMS – Fire Consortia for Advanced Modeling of Meteorology and Smoke.

25. Air Resource Management Fire Data Emissions Calculation SMOKE CMAQ Visualization Southern Smoke Simulation System Weather Data (MM5)

26. Air Resource Management Size Fire Data Emissions Calculation SMOKE CMAQ Visualization Weather Data Fire Data Location Start Time Fuel Model Fuel Load (Fuel Moistures) Emission Factor Optional Inputs Required Inputs Burn Method

27. Air Resource Management Fire Data Emissions Calculation SMOKE CMAQ Visualization Weather Data Emissions Calculation Fuel Load Hourly Emissions Fire Behavior Fuel Consumption Emission Factors Plume Parameters Emissions Output (hourly Emissions, phase, area, vertical velocity and dT)

28. Air Resource Management Fire Data Emissions Calculation SMOKE CMAQ Visualization Weather Data SMOKE Plume Model Gridded Emissions

29. Air Resource Management Fire Data Emissions Calculation SMOKE CMAQ Visualization Weather Data CMAQ

30. Air Resource Management Fire Data Emissions Calculation SMOKE CMAQ Visualization Weather Data Visualization MapServer An Open Source Internet Mapping Solution

31. Air Resource Management Daysmoke Inject The Smoke Into CMAQ Atmospheric Model Plume time scale – plume changes during course of the burnPlume time scale – plume changes during course of the burn Vertical distribution:Vertical distribution: –How the smoke goes, –Which levels the emissions are distributed, –How much smoke is distributed at each level and when Daysmoke is actually four modelsDaysmoke is actually four models

32. Air Resource Management The first model of Daysmoke is an entraining turret model Plume boundary

33. Air Resource Management The second model is a detraining particle trajectory model

34. Air Resource Management The third model is a large eddy parameterization

35. Air Resource Management The fourth model is a Relative Emissions Production Model Daysmoke Features Generates multiple plumes simultaneouslyGenerates multiple plumes simultaneously Assigns particles to selected plumesAssigns particles to selected plumes Can start or end plume as user specifiesCan start or end plume as user specifies

36. Air Resource Management

37. Constructing Daysmoke Vertical Plume Profiles 3 miles “Wall” carries particle counters as function of height Group the particles by CMAQ sigma level and insert into CMAQ each hour.

38. Air Resource Management Emissions Profile Active fire ends Smoldering Fire begins Active fire

39. Air Resource ManagementEmissions Mixing Height

40. Air Resource ManagementEmissions Mixing Height

41. Air Resource Management Mixing Height About 30% of the plume is above the mixing height

42. Air Resource ManagementEmissions Mixing Height

43. Air Resource Management What happens if the wind speed slows down? Mixing Height

44. Air Resource Management http://shrmc.ggy.uga.edu/