Are you getting questions about smoke and poor air quality this summer? Are you looking for a national map of modeled smoke plumes and observed air quality conditions? The Fire and Smoke Map is your go-to resource to address those questions. Be sure to add the website to your list of favorites so that you can find it next time things get smoky or you’re thinking about burning.
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EPA Air Quality Awareness Week Webinar Series
May 1-5, 2023 is Air Quality Awareness Week here in the US. In recognition of the week, the US EPA is hosting a five-part webinar series. The series starts on Monday, May 1, 2023 at 12:00 PM with a presentation on wildland fire and smoke. See the entire series with registration links below.
Mon. May 1 – Wildfires & Smoke with Rick Gillam REGISTER HERE
Tues. May 2 – Asthma & Your Health with Heidi LeSane and Guest REGISTER HERE
Wed. May 3 – Air Quality & Transportation with Will Carnright REGISTER HERE
Thurs. May 4 – Air Quality & Climate with Kayla Kern and Kelly Sheckler REGISTER HERE
Fri. May 5 – Participatory Science with Ryan Brown and Daniel Garver REGISTER HERE
Partner Webinar: EPA Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Smoke
Partner Webinar: Wildland Fire Research to Protect Health and the Environment
EPA Tools & Resources Webinar:
Wildland Fire Research to Protect Health and the Environment
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
3-4 pm ET
The west and other parts of the US have experienced significant forest fires in recent years. These fires have been devastating to infrastructure, yet there is limited knowledge of the human health impacts of smoke emissions. EPA is using its expertise in air quality research to fill the gaps in scientific information and to develop tools to prevent and reduce the impact of smoke from wildfires and controlled or prescribed burns. This webinar will provide an update on Wildland Fire Research to Protect Health and the Environment. Research includes wildfire impacts on human health and ecosystems, a comparative assessment of air quality and public health impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire smoke, air sensors for smoke monitoring applications, an EPA air sensor loan program, resources on indoor air filtration during smoke events, and communication strategies to enhance local readiness for wildfires. Register for the webinar: Wildland Fire Research to Protect Health and the Environment!
For additional information, you can learn about the webinar series and check out recordings here.
ToolsWebinar_Flyer_Wildfires (PDF
Continue ReadingEPA NAAQ Update Public Comment Period
The US EPA has posted the Proposed Rule for Reconsideration of National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter. The 60-day public comment period will be open until March 28, 2023. See the proposed rule and opportunities to provide comment on the Federal Register.
Continue ReadingUSFS SRS Research Explores Future Wildfire Impacts
A recent research report Climate Risk Exposure: An Assessment of the Federal Government’s Financial Risks to Climate Change (pdf) coproduced by researchers from the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station describes the potential impacts of climate change on US wildfires, smoke, and human health.
Wildfires are projected to burn three times as much area on federal lands by the end of the century, as compared to previous decades. Furthermore, across all climate scenarios, median federal spending for wildfire suppression is projected nearly triple, translating into a $3.70 billion increase compared to historic spending over the same time frame.
-USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station
The report explains how climate change will increase the cost of wildfire suppression, the human health impacts of wildfire smoke, and the area burned by wildfires. The projected increases depend on the climate change scenario used in the model. For more information see this summary by the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station or read the full report (pdf).
Continue ReadingPartner Webinar: The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland Urban Interface
Report Webinar: The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface
3:00 – 4:00 PM ET Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Hosted by the US National Academies of Sciences
Wildfires in America are becoming larger, more frequent, and more destructive, driven by climate change and existing land management practices. Many of these fires occur at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), areas where development and wildland areas overlap and which are increasingly at risk of devastating fires as communities continue to expand into previously undeveloped areas. Unlike conventional wildfires, WUI fires are driven in part by burning of homes, cars, and other human-made structures, and in part by burning vegetation. The interaction of these two types of fires can lead to public health effects that are unique to WUI fires.
This report evaluates existing and needed chemistry information that decision-makers can use to mitigate WUI fires and their potential health impacts. It describes key fuels of concern in WUI fires, especially household components like siding, insulation, and plastic, examines key pathways for exposure, including inhalation and ingestion, and identifies communities vulnerable to exposures. The report recommends a research agenda to inform response to and prevention of WUI fires, outlining needs in characterizing fuels, and predicting emissions and toxicants.
Join project staff and members of the committee for a public release webinar about the new report on Tuesday, September 20th from 3:00PM to 4:00PM EDT.
Join this public release webinar for the new consensus study report, The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface Report.
Partner Webinar: National Academics Climate Conversations Wildfire Webinar
Climate Conversations Webinar: Wildfire
August 25 | 3:00PM – 4:00PM EDT
Climate change is increasing the frequency, severity, and extent of area burned by wildfires in the U.S., putting more people at risk of exposure to fire itself and to smoke, which can travel thousands of miles and affect the health of millions of people. A.R. “Ravi” Ravishankara (Colorado State University) will moderate a conversation between Sarah Coefield (Missoula City-County Health Department) and Erica Fischer (Oregon State University) about how planners and decision makers are coping with these challenges and working to protect the built environment and human health.
The conversation will be webcast on the Climate Conversations: Wildfire webpage on Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 3-4pm ET. Closed captioning will be provided. The conversation will include questions from the audience and will be recorded and available to view on the page after the event.
Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action is a monthly webinar series from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that aims to convene high-level, cross-cutting, nonpartisan conversations about issues relevant to national policy action on climate change.
Continue ReadingAmerican Lung Association Report on Prescribed Fire and Wildfire Smoke
The American Lung Association recently released a report that assessed the impacts of wildfire and prescribed fire smoke on the American public. In general, the report found that prescribed fire has an important role in mitigating wildfires and hazardous wildfire smoke. The report also clarified that prescribed fire smoke is a hazardous substance (although likely not as hazardous as wildfire smoke) and that steps are needed to minimize the impacts of prescribed fire smoke on vulnerable individuals and communities.
Download the report (pdf) and the shorter executive summary (pdf) for more information. You can also watch a presentation by the report authors on YouTube or embedded below.
Continue ReadingWhere There’s Fire, There’s Smoke: Air Quality and Prescribed Burning in Florida
SFE staff recently rewrote a University of Florida / IFAS EDIS fact sheet titled “Where there’s fire, there’s smoke: Air quality and prescribed burning in Florida.” The fact sheet provides research-based information on the composition, movement, and impacts of prescribed fire smoke. For prescribed burners, the fact sheet also provides tips and resources for managing smoke responsibly.
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