Smoke Management

1. Smoke Management Susan O’Neill NRCS Air Quality and Atmospheric Change Team 09/2006, 03/2007

2. Smoke Management Smoke Management is about managing the emissions from fire by: Reducing Emissions Reducing Impacts of the Emissions Smoke is unlike most other pollutant sources – a control can not be put on it to scrub the emissions.

3. Smoke Management Reduce Smoke Emissions Increase combustion efficiency Burn smaller units and/or burn more frequently Employ alternatives to burning Reduce Smoke Impacts Tools to help time burning – Is today a good day to burn? Where are my sensitive receptors? Monitor plume during the burn Post burn considerations – smoldering, mop-up

4. Why do we need tomanage smoke? Health Impacts -> National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Public Safety and Nuisance Economic and social issues (vacations, tourism). Smoke across roads. Visibility – Regional Haze Rule Scenic vistas are a resource to preserve. We are a Conservation Agency – Air Quality is a resource concern

5. Smoke Management Plans Goals Allow for fire function as a management tool Protect public health If a smoke management plan is in place for a region, burners must comply with. Oregon Smoke Management Plans Willamette Valley/Western Oregon Union County Jefferson County Umatilla Indian Reservation

6. Emissions from Fire Complete Combustion Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Water (H2O) Incomplete Combustion Carbon Monoxide (CO) Particulate Matter (PM) Hydrocarbons (HC) Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Ammonia (NH3)

7. Particulate Matter Health impacts associated with PM2.5 – particles are inhaleable into the lungs. Dangerous to children, elderly, asthmatics. Define PM2.5 and PM10 and PM coarse.Health impacts associated with PM2.5 – particles are inhaleable into the lungs. Dangerous to children, elderly, asthmatics. Define PM2.5 and PM10 and PM coarse.

8. PM2.5 NAAQS SIP/TIPs 24-hr average. Prescribed fire concentrations tend to be more acute and get averaged out over the 24-hr period.SIP/TIPs 24-hr average. Prescribed fire concentrations tend to be more acute and get averaged out over the 24-hr period.

9. NRCS Air QualityResource Concerns Particulate Matter Ozone Precursors Greenhouse Gases Ammonia Odor

10. Smoke Behavior in aStable Atmosphere Smoke Behavior – the following pictures are of smoke from large wildfires, but what I want to show is the interaction of the smoke with the atmosphere. Capping inversion is trapping smoke. Some of the plume (on the right) has reduced lifting – not as hot perhaps and atmospheric stability is hindering its lift. Heat from the convective column is high enough to punch through the inversion. Fumigation below mixing height.Smoke Behavior – the following pictures are of smoke from large wildfires, but what I want to show is the interaction of the smoke with the atmosphere. Capping inversion is trapping smoke. Some of the plume (on the right) has reduced lifting – not as hot perhaps and atmospheric stability is hindering its lift. Heat from the convective column is high enough to punch through the inversion. Fumigation below mixing height.

11. Smoke Behavior in anUnstable Atmosphere Smoke Behavior in an unstable atmosphere. No capping inversion. Looping plume – instability of the atmos. Smoke is not on the ground near the source. Transport by upper level winds.Smoke Behavior in an unstable atmosphere. No capping inversion. Looping plume – instability of the atmos. Smoke is not on the ground near the source. Transport by upper level winds.

12. Smoke Behavior in Valleys Smoke caught under a valley inversion that is being transported by down-valley winds in the early morning.Smoke caught under a valley inversion that is being transported by down-valley winds in the early morning.

13. NOAA ARL – Forecast Meteorologyhttp://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/cmet.html Meteograms Wind Roses Soundings Time Series

14. Ag Burn Outlook Application Guidance for farmers and ranchers about atmospheric dispersion conditions for burning. Is today a good day to burn? Simple-to-operate web-based application Based on Northwest Regional Modeling Consortium MM5 operation at UW 4-km domain Produces a forecast for today and tomorrow By zip code Graphic map with pop-up table of meteorology data

15. Ag Burn OutlookToday and Tomorrow Mixing height = the unstable atmospheric layer that extends from the surface up to the base of an inversion. Within this layer, the air is well stirred. Ventilation Index = mixing height * 20m/surface wind speed There needs to be a minimum amount of ventilation for a burn to disperse adequately. If you’re not getting some minimum ventilation, then conditions may not be adequate to burn. Designed to be conservative.Mixing height = the unstable atmospheric layer that extends from the surface up to the base of an inversion. Within this layer, the air is well stirred. Ventilation Index = mixing height * 20m/surface wind speed There needs to be a minimum amount of ventilation for a burn to disperse adequately. If you’re not getting some minimum ventilation, then conditions may not be adequate to burn. Designed to be conservative.

16. Example of the Web Application

17. What Do the Maps Display? Burn prediction Average surface wind speed and direction arrows Zip code areas (outlined in blue) Location Information: counties, cities, roads, rivers, schools, hospitals, shaded relief

18. Burn Outlook for Prineville Simple easy to use tool available daily on the web (by 6am typically). Please send me feedback. While based on meteorological parameters typically used by fire weather forecasters, this merging of them together has not been evaluated so I would appreciate feedback. It can be customized regionally. Any features/behaviors you like/don’t like? Let me know. I can help modify. Can take nationally and customize for regions. Does not need to be zip-code based – other ideas?Simple easy to use tool available daily on the web (by 6am typically). Please send me feedback. While based on meteorological parameters typically used by fire weather forecasters, this merging of them together has not been evaluated so I would appreciate feedback. It can be customized regionally. Any features/behaviors you like/don’t like? Let me know. I can help modify. Can take nationally and customize for regions. Does not need to be zip-code based – other ideas?

19. Oregon Department of ForestryFire Weather Information http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/fire.shtml#Smoke_Management Won’t start the forecasts up until end of Sept or early Oct – need precip first before entering the prescribed burning season.Won’t start the forecasts up until end of Sept or early Oct – need precip first before entering the prescribed burning season.

20. Oregon Department of AgricultureFire Weather Information http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/NRD/weather.shtml

21. Identify Smoke Impacted Area Determine Area Affected by Smoke Plume 5 miles for grass 5 miles backing fires in other fuels 10 miles for head fires other fuels or large ( >500 ac) burns Draw line from each end of the fire at 30 degrees from wind direction and draw arc at five and ten miles (45 degrees with variable winds). This is the probable smoke impact area. Go down drainage one-half the distance (2.5 and 5 miles). This is night time impact area. The goal of smoke management is to limit the impacts of smoke on people, haziness of the air and visual impairment of the view shed. Currently there are two types of smoke screening procedures - The low tech version The high tech version Low Tech version involves a pencil, paper, maps and scale High Tech version involves computer models We will deal with the low tech version. This procedure was developed for rural areas and is qualitative and does not give a quantitative answer. Step 1. - Determine the area affected by the smoke plume. Plot wind direction and distances of 5 or 10 miles downwind depending on fuel types. The goal of smoke management is to limit the impacts of smoke on people, haziness of the air and visual impairment of the view shed. Currently there are two types of smoke screening procedures - The low tech version The high tech version Low Tech version involves a pencil, paper, maps and scale High Tech version involves computer models We will deal with the low tech version. This procedure was developed for rural areas and is qualitative and does not give a quantitative answer. Step 1. - Determine the area affected by the smoke plume. Plot wind direction and distances of 5 or 10 miles downwind depending on fuel types.

22. Identify Sensitive Receptors in Smoke Impact Area Identify Smoke Sensitive Areas If none - continue with prescribed burn If smoke sensitive areas are found continue screening process Identify CRITICAL Smoke Sensitive Areas Areas with existing air quality or visibility problems 5 miles - one half mile is critical 10 miles - one mile is critical If critical area is identified Prescribe new wind direction If in “outer half” burn in small units that are completed prior to sundown Consider alternative to burning Step two is to identify the smoke sensitive areas within the delineation. If there are no smoke sensitive areas in the delineation, continue with the planned burn. If smoke sensitive areas do exist, continue with the screening process. Identify CRITICAL smoke sensitive areas Areas with existing air quality or visibility problems If 5 miles is used the first one-half mile is critical If 10 miles is used the first mile is critical Step two is to identify the smoke sensitive areas within the delineation. If there are no smoke sensitive areas in the delineation, continue with the planned burn. If smoke sensitive areas do exist, continue with the screening process. Identify CRITICAL smoke sensitive areas Areas with existing air quality or visibility problems If 5 miles is used the first one-half mile is critical If 10 miles is used the first mile is critical

23. Monitoring the Smoke Plume Before ignition Evaluate Meteorology Evaluate Airshed Other sources emitting in the airshed? What are the current air quality conditions? During Burn Evaluate meteorological conditions Evaluate Plume Behavior Is plume rising and dispersing? Is plume staying close to the surface? After Burn is complete Smoldering Mop-up

24. Oregon Air Quality Monitoring Data

25. AIRNOW – Air Quality Index http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local

26. BlueSkyRAINSwww.blueskyrains.org View other burning activity

27. Thank You!Questions? susan.oneill@por.usda.gov 503-273-2438 http://www.airquality.nrcs.usda.gov