1. Prescribed Fire as a Management Tool
Smoke Management
Prescribed Fire as a Management Tool
September 14-17, 1999
Ferndale, AR

2. What is Smoke Management?
Conducting a prescribed fire under fuel moisture and meteorological conditions, and using firing techniques, that keep the smoke’s impact on the environment (including people) within acceptable limits

3. Smoke Management Why is it important?
Laws and regulations that govern air quality
Federal, such as Clean Air Act, National Ambient Air Quality Standards
State air quality laws, Smoke Management Plans, State Implementation Plans, Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines
County ordinances

4. Smoke Management Why is it important?
Maintain visibility on roads and highways

5. Smoke Management Why is it important?

6. When do most smoke-related accidents occur?

7. Smoke Management Why is it important?
Public concerns
nuisance smoke
public health

8. Smoke Management Why is it important?
Health concerns

9. Five Air Toxins in Smoke
Respirable particulates
Carbon monoxide
Formaldehyde
Acrolein
Benzene

10. Managing Smoke Exposure
Brief your crew
Rotate people out of high exposure areas
Consider using respirators
Monitor with CO dosimeters

11. Managing Smoke Exposure
This is not a respirator!

14. Three basic goals for smoke management are:
1. Identify and avoid smoke sensitive areas
2. Disperse and dilute smoke before it reaches smoke sensitive areas
3. Reduce total emissions from the burn

15. Smoke Management Toolbox

16. Smoke Management Planning
Define fire management objectives clearly
Burn only what you need to burn
Set smoke management objectives
Follow Voluntary Smoke Mgt. Guidelines
Be familiar with the area
Inside and outside the unit
Choose an appropriate wind direction
Burn small units

17. Smoke Management Planning
Keep fuel loads low (“available fuels”)
Burn when fine fuel moisture is low
Burn when duff is moist (KBDI <200)
Alter ignition techniques
Don’t burn under an inversion
Be aware of nighttime temperature and RH
overnight low within 5o of dew point
>80% RH

18. Smoke Management Planning
Consider burn date and window
Prescribe for good atmospheric dispersion
minimum mixing height of 1700 ft (500 m)
minimum transport windspeed of 9 mph (4mps)
ventilation rate of 2000 (MH x TWS)
use with caution! (high windspeed & low MH)

19. Smoke Management Planning

20. Smoke Management Planning
Have contingency plan ready
Plan for aggressive mop-up
Complete smoke-screening procedure
high tech
low tech
Notify neighbors in advance
Smoke easements

21. On the Day of the Burn Obtain permit, weather forecast, category day
Conduct test burn
Make go/no-go decision
Monitor crew exposure
Station smoke observer at smoke sensitive areas

22. On the Day of the Burn Make written smoke observations Be prepared!
Document extent of any problem
Mop up aggressively, if appropriate

23. You don’t know what may happen!
Stay alert ...
You don’t know what may happen!