prescribed fire vs wildfire: an air quality perspective · 1/13/2018 · on periodic tire,...
TRANSCRIPT
Prescribed Fire Vs Wildfire:An Air Quality Perspective
Julie Hunter, Senior Air Quality SpecialistPlanning Program
Washoe County Health District, Air Quality Management Division APA Nevada Chapter State Conference: Betting on Nevada’s Future
October 3, 2017Reno NWS
Prescribed Fire Vs Wildfire
Prescribed Fires
• Public Health
– Public Notifications
– Less Smoke Impacts
– Shorter Duration
– Temporary AQ Impacts
• Controlled Conditions
• Reduce Wildfire Severity
Wildfire Challenges
• Rapid Changes
– Difficult to Forecast and Inform
• Monitoring Data
– Hour Delay
• AirNow Delays
– ~1.5 Hour Delay
• Mixed Message
– Smoke in Valley
– Green AQI
After the Event: Regulation ImpactsExceptional Events Demonstrations
• Narrative Conceptual Model
• Clear Causal Relationship
• Natural Event
• Not Reasonably Controllable or Preventable
• Conclusions and Recommendations
Tier 3 EE Analysis = Very Complex
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Co
nce
ntr
atio
n (
µg/
m3)
Hourly PM2.5 Concentrations Comparing Rx Fire and Wildfire
Rim Fire (8/23/2013)
King Fire (9/18/2014)
Rx Fire (11/6/2014)
Hazardous
Very Unhealthy
Unhealthy
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
King
Rim
Rx fire
Questions and Comments
Julie Hunter, Senior Air Quality Specialist
Washoe County Health District, Air Quality Management Division
OurCleanAir.com